Narcoleptic Squirrel

Halfway through the list! So far, I’ve learned some things require patience more than motivation to get done. Some things, just not super important to me. Others, I still really want to do, and am keeping them on the list. Thanks for hanging in there with me as I evaluate!

41. Take a metalworking class. Not Done. Just couldn’t find a class that was what I was looking for. I would like to do some casting, and learn to set stones. There were a couple of classes that would have been working with metal, and thus I could cross something off my list. However, I didn’t create these goals just to cross items off my list. I created them to help urge me to do some of the things I’ve been meaning to do. So, I wait so I can learn what I really want. It’s definitely still on my grand to-do list.
42. Get somewhere on the genealogy of my paternal grandmother’s family (at least two more generations) Not done. I’ve tried, to no avail. My grandmother was a character. I presume I am a lot like her, though she passed when I was pretty young, so I can’t officially confirm that. She kept some secrets and maybe fibbed now and then. Thus, it’s hard to track down those whom she descended from. I know I’m related to Charlie Chaplin. I suspect I’m related to circus folk. That’s not super helpful per se. I really want to know more, and I believe that as the world becomes smaller due to technology expanding, I shall. So, I am still at it!

43. Go to Ghent, Belgium. Not done. This is much like the Wales trip I mentioned earlier. However, this one is a little more personal, since my family comes from here. I somehow feel very close to this place, despite never having been. So, I need to get there. I made it to Ghent, MN, though that is not quite the same. Still on the list, and it is getting closer!
44. Put away six months of income in savings. Done! I began to put away a chunk of my paycheck via direct deposit. It’s so much easier to not spend money you don’t ever see. So, I specified an amount to go straight into savings. Easy peasy. I do have to come clean, though. While we saved a large chunk this way, we didn’t save it all this way. We were fortunate enough to get an unexpected windfall which padded the amount a bit. The thing that is nice is that if something happens (excuse me for a moment while I knock on some wood) we will be okay for a while. I want to keep saving, as I don’t ever want to rely on credit ever again for anything. We pay cash, or we don’t get it. We were able to buy a car this way, so I know we can do it. I imagine it will feel amazing one day to pay cash for a dwelling.
45. Visit the MIA (Minneapolis Institute of Arts) Done! I’d lived here since 1998 without having visited! Crazy, right? I did not have a good excuse for not visiting, other than living around here and taking it for granted. So, I put it on the list to light that extra fire under my booty! I was running out of time, when I saw that they were having a special exhibition of artifacts from China. I’d long thought the terracotta warriors were fascinating, and here was a rare chance to see them outside of China. On top of that, a local paper ran a two-for-one coupon. Now, I’d grown up in the area of the Detroit Institute of Arts, and often found reasons to check it out. I’m not trying to belittle anyone’s art collection, but somehow the MIA just doesn’t inspire the same awe in me that the DIA does. I will try to go back to see more of their collection, and I am amazed by the donations that the Dayton family made to the MIA. It could be the special bond I have with the DIA, but I just don’t see myself building that same bond with the MIA.
46. Divide and move my perennials. Done! This was a condo goal. Over my time in our unit, my sister helped me establish quite the garden. I hit up annual plant sales, took divisions from friends, from my sister and found some great finds via Craigslist. As we went, I learned what plants would benefit from. For instance, the chartreuse colored hostas that multiplied easily, but were cooked in the sun just as easily? Those would be great under the trees that kept sun from hitting the soil. The super hardy irises? Those would be great in that area where nothing will grow. The hen and chicks that the squirrels dig up? A bug tent designed to protect food on a picnic table could keep those safe until they established. It was really easy to make these decisions in my mind, but more difficult to actually do anything about it. Luckily, the last full summer I lived there, my sis and my nephew helped my divide and divide and divide my plants. We planned, and rearranged. While there isn’t much I miss about living in a condo, I do miss seeing all those wee plants poke up as Spring would approach and develop into Summer. Seeing what would bloom when, seeing how quickly things would spread, and how they all looked together. I must admit, Spring isn’t the same without the garden. However, Winter is better without the shoveling and Summer better without the mowing!
47. Enter an event at the MN State Fair. Not done. I did at least decide on an event, though! I just haven’t been able to pin down a subject. I don’t know that once I complete it, I will want to do more, so I want to make this one count. Probably to the point of overthinking it. It’s totally on my list, since I just can’t resist the thrill of the State Fair. Although, with the speed this year is shuttling along, I don’t know that 2013 will be my year.
48. Get at least $1K in donations for the ADA. Not done. We’ve long had a tradition of participating in the ADA walk each year. It is a little selfish, I admit. Since the hubs has diabetes, it is a charity near and dear to our hearts. I would love to make a killing just one year. However, they changed the weekend they do the walk, and we’ve been out of town for the last two years. I will totally do it soon. It is important to me, and to the organization. So, know that I will be hitting you up later this year!
49. Find the perfect armchair for the living room. Not done. So close, yet so far. I found a perfect chair on Craigslist. Fuchsia tufted velvet. Unfortunately someone beat me to it. It worked out, since that chair wouldn’t be so cute in our current living room. I know I must own a Phillipe Starck Louis ghost chair and an Eames shell rocker in white, but I would like a unique tufted velvet chair that requires hunting. Probably in a rich grey. I know it’s out there, and will come to me when the time is right. It’s not really something I can put on a calendar, since that sort of thrifting/shopping karma is on its own calendar.
50. Spring clean every nook of the house. Done! I’d already started when we decided to move. However, getting every darn thing out of the house is immensely helpful to doing this.

Part three of evaluating my attempt at making <a href=”http://dayzeroproject.com/”>101 goals to do over 1001 days</a>. Check out part one <a href=”http://narcolepticsquirrel.com/2013/02/05/1001-days/”>here</a>, and part two <a href=http://narcolepticsquirrel.com/2013/03/13/101-things-part-two/>here</a>.

32. Take ballroom dancing.Not done. I want to do this with the hubs, and need to get him to cooperate.
33. Get G’s dragon triptych framed.DONE! (This is the first one of this round I have done, so it gets all caps!) G used to work at the MN Renaissance Festival. There was an artist out there, whose work he admired. In fact, there was a specific watercolor he really wanted. It was a triptych that made one large picture of two dragons intertwining. He coveted it for several years, and his parents purchased him the prints one Christmas (they are signed and numbered by the artist). It was enough years ago that we weren’t married yet, though we were a couple. His parents weren’t sure what sort of framing he would like, so they decided to leave it up to us. So, the prints sat and sat and sat. Michael’s decided to throw an omen our way and had a sale on custom framing that was more than they’ve done that I can remember. So, we took them in. We wanted something really simple so the art could shine. Did you know custom framing is expensive? I mean, really expensive? We had the sale, plus a coupon, and we still spent about 3 times what I anticipated. However, I bought it for G for Christmas last year, so it was a present, too. They are hanging in our bedroom and look lovely. Totally worth it.
34. & 35. Write in my regular blog once a week for a year, write in my secondary blog once a week for a year.Not done. I tried. I really did. However, a blog is a lot of work. I did have a decent stretch of writing in this blog once a week, but once you forget a week it’s really easy to forget two weeks, then three, next thing you know months pass by. The secondary blog was a crafting blog I started with friends. This one was going to get me crafting regularly again and get our blog going again. That one was even harder! Twice the inspiration needed. I’ve learned a lot about blogging recently, and I know ways to make this a reality. I also know to focus on one blog and get it up and running before committing one’s self to multiple blogs. So, I am focusing on this one, trying to get up to more than once a week, and that is plenty right now! Besides, I think quality is more important than quantity. No one wants to read terrible posts, especially if there are a lot of them.

36. Do my top secret project!Started! So, when I put this together, I didn’t want to disclose my secret so someone wouldn’t scoop my idea. Since I would love to be on Project Runway, I wanted to see if I could do it. I started a blog wherein I did the challenge along with the contestants. I was hoping it would become an internet sensation! (maybe) I didn’t quite finish, but I learned very many things. The first, I can do it. I can sew like the wind when I have to. I can make it work. So, that part was important. The second, it is really, really hard. Mostly, it is hard to do when you have a job and a life and are trying to squeeze in fast paced projects. The third, it is really, really expensive. Even when you are buying fabric at a warehouse that is half off. Very different than a show paying for everything. Finally, it is also hard to do all the stuff they do on the show without all the resources they have on the show. Like, when it comes time to make your own fabric pattern, it takes a lot longer when you don’t have an expensive computer and an even more expensive program to design it on. A lot longer. So, those things combined got me way off track. Not to mention some of the other health things that halted other tasks on the list.
    I have the stuff for at least two more of the projects, and I will do them. The biggest thing I wanted to do was prove I could handle making something under a tight deadline, and I definitely accomplished that!
    

    How far I got on my fabric design. It would be a repeat, using my love of all things feathery, the pink feather being me sticking out from everyone else.

37. Try out for the MN Roller Girls.Not. Done. So, I could totally see myself doing roller derby. The thing is, if I am gonna do something, I don’t wanna half ass it. So, if I would do roller derby, it would be for the MN Roller Girls. The thing is, they are hardcore. They are serious, well known, and very competitive to get into. There are other leagues that would be easier to get into, but again with the full-assedness. So, if I were going to try out, it would be full assed. I just never had the time to train for this when I was training for a marathon, then getting injured and sick. I think I will get into skating more seriously, then go from there.
38. Go to the Lizzie Borden house.DONE! It was awesome! I want to go back! I would have liked to stay in the murder room, but we were going for my birthday which is near Halloween. That is the season when everyone wants to do spooky things. So, we were lucky to stay there at all! We got the last room, which was just attic when Lizzie lived in the house. I hustled after work to get G from JFK airport, the cheapest place for him to fly in. The unfortunate part was that my GPS was drunk, so I wound up doing some driving along Madison Avenue on a Friday night. On top of that, JFK is a god-forsaken place. I finally found G, and we made our way to the house, calling twice to let them know we would be late. Sadly, this put us in too late to catch the exclusive-for-guests tour. Another reason to go back! We still got a tour, I got some great snaps of the place with me in my Victorian finery, we met the cat of the house, and had a great breakfast with two really cool people, and two really weird people. If you get a chance, I highly recommend it!
39. Volunteer at WRCMNNot done. I still want to very much. I really want to work with the abandoned baby squirrels and injured squirrels (imagine that). It’s mostly been a scheduling issue. I just need to buckle down and do it!
40. Take a pattern drafting class.Not done. I don’t know for sure if I will still do this one. I have drafted things by figuring it out and using math (again, I know, right?) but don’t have training. I learned a lot about drafting by trial and error during my PR project. I want to experiment and self teach myself some more before I take a class.

I know I was gonna bang this out over one week, but my blog freaked out and I couldn’t.
Just as well. I learned how long it will really take to bang this out and how long it is to read. So, I am cutting down to ten (or 11, in some cases), and posting them each Wednesday so you all don’t get too bored! Here’s part two, keep your eyes out over the next few Wednesdays for parts three through nine!

21. Finish the things in my project box.Not done. This box contains various things that need some help. All the items are clothing, but they need altering for one reason or another. Some are projects that were finished just enough for their purpose, but I want to finish them the way the should be finished. Some are things that I don’t wear anymore, but still love so I want to alter them into something I will wear. Some are things that (usually because of age) are not wearable as they are, but are full of fabric to harvest or could be used to pattern for a remake. No matter why the box is there, instead of less full it is now more full.

22. Go to England and Wales with G.Not done. I’ve not been to England or Wales in years, and G has never been (I know, right???). We thought it would be a perfect trip for our big ten-year anniversary. I had some dollars from a work bonus set aside, so I began looking into it. Then, I got put on a project for work that had me out-of-town during that time. We didn’t come up with an alternate date, and the fund got put into things like unexpected car repairs. However, we are determined to make this happen, sooner rather than later.
23. Move to LA.Not done. I would like to get to work on some filmy/TV things G would love to work for a certain game developer, and we would love to be close to some of our west coast friends. I thought that giving this a deadline would get us on doing it! We aren’t there yet, but we have made some headway. We did get rid of our condo, which was a big thing keeping us stuck here. Selling a home is different than giving notice on an apartment. Now we are in an apartment, so that is a big obstacle gone. G is in the process of applying for his dream job, which if he were to get in, would require a temporary relocation to Quantico and then a more permanent location to a place of their choosing (though, G can give them preferences). We want to see how that shakes out, then will go from there. I do know for sure that California would not be a long term situation. We are people who need seasons, which California is notoriously lacking.
24. Draft and build a corset.Not done. This is to be part of a costume, but other costumes keep popping up and getting in the way. It would be a big help for my big dream of being on Project Runway, but since it is questionable whether it will stay on the air, this has also kept bumping the priority. I did get sources for the supplies taken care of, and I will certainly get there. I just need to not get so excited to make all the things.
25. Enter Masquerade at CONvergenceNot done. I was close. So close. Until I developed a fever and illness and had to have my niece go in my stead. She had put together a costume, and was ready to go, so it worked out. But, it was a bummer. I haven’t come up with another thing I’ve wanted to do as much yet. I know I will, but since the process is a lot of work, I want to be really in love with the idea.
26. Get my wedding gown taken care of. Finally.Not done. Not that after 12 years, time is of the essence. However, it was an honest-to-goodness Vera Wang. I got a great deal on it, and it was a dream come true to wear one of her gowns. I want to keep it forever, regardless of whether or not I have someone to pass it on to. I should have taken it to the cleaners straight away, but I foolishly didn’t. So, it is still on the hanger, in the garment bag, just like I hung it up in the hotel on our wedding night. I’m not overly concerned about staining, I just hope there aren’t holes or things that are more difficult to repair. I think I will have it professionally dyed and possibly wear it for other fancy things. I swear, the next coupon I see for gown cleaning will get my butt into the dry cleanery and get it done. I’m hoping the process will also make it more compact. The layers and layers of tulle Ms. Wang designed into that thing make it voluminous to say the least.
27. Get my Mystery tattoo.Not done. When I reached my first goal weight, I got a tattoo of a wee black cat named Sabbath on my right thigh. My reward for my final goal was to get his sister, Mystery, on my left thigh. I was very close, but a chronic neck injury flared up and hated progress. Then I got several rounds of steroid injections. They are not kidding when they tell you steroids make you gain weight. Also, it is real weight. So, I am back where I started and need to get back down. And get that tattoo. Sabbath is very lonely.
    

    Sabbath, brand new!

28. Get my running tattoo (after I complete my marathon).Not done. I signed up for the marathon. I trained until about a month before. When I got wicked bronchitis, I tried to keep training. However, it is really hard to run when you can’t breathe. It’s hard to get back to breathing when the genetics you’re blessed with mean that bronchitis sticks around for at least a month if the steroids and antibiotics work correctly. I was still hacking up my lungs by the day of the marathon and had to postpone that dream. Why does getting sick have to get in the way of things? I will do that marathon, though I am still rebuilding mileage-wise so it is a someday item.
29. Get my Raven tattoo.Not done. One reason is dollars, the other is that I don’t have quite the perfect art yet. I want her to be absolutely perfect because she is so important to me. I love ravens for many, many reasons. I want this tattoo to capture all of them.
30. & 31) Take a ballet class, Take a tap class.Not done. The biggest reason is funding. It’s hard to justify dance lessons when you are cash strapped. However, I found a place I want to go, and my passion for dance was recently reignited, so the next round of classes, I am all over it!

They have come and gone. When they say time flies, they aren’t kidding. Though I didn’t make it very far through the list, I learned a lot. I am going to go through the list this week (20 a day, with 21 on Friday). Give a wee rundown of what worked, what didn’t, and I will ponder whether I will do it again.

Before I dive in, a couple of notes. First, I wrote the list when we lived in the condo. I changed all of the items that were left on the list for the condo when we moved. I mean, it’s tough to remodel a bathroom when you no longer own the house. If you want a refresher on the whole list, check it out here.

So, here’s the first twenty!

1 Go to Donnie Dirk’s Zombie den. & 2 Go to Psycho Suzy’s Done!

I actually ticked these off in the same night. They are owned by the same people, but have totally different atmospheres. I’d heard a lot of good things about Suzy’s, and a zombie themed bar just seemed too perfect! From when I wrote this, to now, Suzy’s has moved. I’ve been to both locations, and while the old one was better it’s just not my scene. Too scenestery, too pretentious. They like a very specific type of clientele. Clientele with ink of a certain style, with certain placement, dressed in a certain type of hipster garb. I don’t want to “fit in.” Especially when the fitting in involves a bunch of pseudo rebellion against the norm just to do so. All of that would bug me less, if the food were top notch. It’s fine…just not amazing. It doesn’t have to be, since the place is packed on weekends like you wouldn’t believe. The service is also less than desirable. I thought it was just me, but then I found out they tell their servers they are allowed to be rude. Not in an amusing way, just to be rude. DD’s on the other hand, is super fun. Small, cozy, super rad decor that walks a fine line between Vegas casino and vampire den. The male staff dress like Shaun of Shaun of the Dead and the ladies are glam cocktail waitresses. While the drinks at Suzy’s are all juice based and syrupy sweet, the drinks at DD’s are actual cocktails. Wide variety and tasty to boot. There is no kitchen, but you can use the bat phone to order in from Suzy’s. I prefer to go when I am just planning on drinks, but if you’re not you can get some eats. To check them as done, we went to an event at DD’s, and figured if we were gonna have Suzy’s food either way, we may as well head on over. On the bright side, I found a place that I enjoy revisiting!

3 Purchase a Liberty of London dress.

Not done. I thought this one would be easy-peasy. Boy, was I wrong! Liberty is a fantastic London brand (in case you couldn’t guess from the name). I’d wanted a dress from them for a while. I even had my eye on one! Then, the Red Devil (alternate name for a major retailer that is on my blacklist) used them as one of their “name brands for less” lines. Liberty prints splashed on cheap fabric and housewares for the masses. Not at regular Liberty prices, but still way overpriced for what you got. No big deal. I’m a grown up! I can get the real thing! Except they stopped making the luxe (but in my price range) cocktail dress I had my eye on. It would have been fine. I could have picked another luxe (but in my price range) cocktail dress. However, the market was saturated with the crap from the Red Devil. That was all I could find. One day, I will find another luxe (but in my price range) dress, as opposed to the crap or luxe (but not in my price range) dresses.

4 Do the 100 push-ups challenge.

Not done. Originally, this was to join the 12x club at my gym. But, we canceled our membership to save dollars, and then the gym closed all together. So, I subbed this. However a neck injury made it such that push ups were not an option. Once they were, the 25 pounds I gained made said push ups much more difficult. I started and stopped a few times, but I need to start smaller for now.

5 Re-paint mats and hang artwork in bedroom (4 pieces total)

Done! I actually cut new mats all together. I wanted something more colorful, but black was what I could get. I put the mats in, and now I want to re-paint the frames! However, they are up, along with our other artwork. This one was not so bad!

6 Decide what will live on kitchen counters and above cabinets, purge the rest

In progress. I figured out what I want. The problem is, some things need replacing…like my canisters. I also have some stacks of things to purge still. I keep purging, yet those stacks stay the same size. I think they are haunted.

7 Hang art in living room

Done! Speaking of haunted…we have a poltergeist. I got the art up in the living room, and it looked great! It’s a carefully arranged collage. Many of the pieces are vintage prints. Some are new that are in the same vein, and there are a few gifted pieces. The largest piece is a print from IKEA. It is French, like much of the other pieces, and the colors fit really well. Someone else seems to have a different idea. The large piece slowly started to tilt. I would straighten it, it would tilt. Then it slowly started to drift such that it was lower than it was supposed to be. I took it down, re-wired it, re-hung, and applied some adhesive to the corners of the frame to keep it in place. The picture started to pull away from the wall. I took it down, and the backing was completely misshapen such that it could not sit against the wall. I took it apart, and tried putting weights on the backing to flatten it out. Every time I took the weights off, it popped back into misshappenness. (Yeah, it’s a word. I made it. And what?) After dampening and drying it a bunch, I got it mostly flat and rehung. It still is going off kilter, but I am working on getting a different piece that maybe the poltergeist will leave alone.

8 Hang artwork and shelf in hallway

Done!On a roll! I can hang art and shelves like a machine, yo! Maybe the next one hundred one things will be all hanging art?

9 Pay off all debt

In progress. This one was a lot to bit off given the time frame, and our finances at the beginning. However, we made lots of progress! We are down to G’s student loans (ouch-am I ever glad I paid cash for school!) and a vet bill. The vet bill was added just under the wire of this deadline. It is interest free, at least. Also, the hubs may or may not have gotten this one without me. My rule now is that if we want something, we pay cash. Clothes, food, house, car. Cash. We did buy a car with cash, so that’s a start. We won’t be in the market for a new place for a while, so we have lots of time to save up for that one. Of course, we also have to pay those silly student loans. Which one will win?

10 Toilet train cats

In progress. The cats don’t seem to be on board with my deadlines. We had a setback when my beloved Crushers passed, and we had to start over. They seem to be down with number one, but not so much the number two. I hear that is common with toilet training, both human and feline. Still making progress, though. I long for the day when we are litter free, for so many reasons.

11 Get rid of storage units (outside of apartment bldg)

Done! This was something else before we moved. So, I changed it to something move related. We moved from a two bedroom, two bath condo with a garage, to a one bedroom, one bath apartment with a parking space. Downsized, to say the least. It wound up taking us longer to pare down than our closing date, so we rented a storage unit. Not unreasonably priced, but not cheap. So, I wanted motivation to get rid of the unit. We did it, though there are still some things chilling at our apartment as we get rid of them. Saving us some dollars, at least. It felt good to let this one go!

12 Perform in a burlesque show.

Done! Here’s the deal, I am a natural born performer. Anywhere, anytime, I am down. Even my grandfather (a devout Catholic, conservative, women should be at home caring for their family type) would oft say, “I hate to say it, but she belongs on the stage.” I love all the elements of burlesque. It’s not stripping! It’s comedy, it’s sexy, it’s storytelling…it’s all the things I love! I took a couple of rounds of classes, one of which culminated in a performance. Totally fun. I want to have my own act, but I need some more finances to do so. I am building up an arsenal as we speak, including getting my health back together. It’s gonna be amazing!

13 Get to my goal weight (and stay there!)

So close, yet so far. I got really close. However, the previously mentioned neck injury set me back. I have a plan, and I will get there!

14 Finish porch redo (redo pavers and paint)

Done! At the old condo. The porch consisted of poorly laid pavers that sunk into sort of a giant paver pothole. The ceiling was poop brown. None of this was cool. I removed all the pavers, laid new gravel, tamped, sanded, and relaid the pavers. Nice and level. Based on the careful education from my father, I chose a nice aqua blue to paint the ceiling. It brightened the space, and made it much more inviting.

15 Clean out the garage.

Done! Yikes. This one was bad news. A combination of G’s folks moving and leaving a lot behind for us, and a garage sale that left us with a couple of things…it made it easy to keep adding to the “storage” in our garage. However, when you move, they ask that everything be gone. So, we had no choice but to empty the garage. It wouldn’t have been so bad, but due to our crazy neighbors’ questionable landscaping the garage flooded. However, we did it. Garage emptied, even if we didn’t get to enjoy it.

16 Read all the books on our bookshelf that I haven’t read.

In progress. I’m on the Fs. Some of these are books I bought, but didn’t read. Some are books of G’s I hadn’t read. I read the Dark Tower series for G straight away (even though I really had to push to get through). Then I went to the thickest books, so that if I wanted to get rid of it, it frees up a lot of space. I am chipping away, but man do we have a lot of books! I will get it to the point where all our books live on two bookcases, with ten percent of the shelf space free. That means no stacks, no creative shelving. Believe it or not, I’ve made progress! I just really under-estimated the time it would take.

17 Watch all the films on our DVD shelf I haven’t watched.

In progress. See above. We fell victim to very many Best Buy single digit price sales. “It’s cheaper than renting!” However, when you own it, there is no rush to watch. We’ve started, and many have been able to go right back out the door. (Amazon, Ebay, BB, thank you!) There are still a lot. Movies take time, and they keep making more. Both this and the books, I don’t know that I would have started were it not for this list. These are great examples of the motivation of the list. They are also great examples of how I need to pick and choose. Too many time-consuming items, means they all get started and not finished. Prioritize!

18 Sell all the crap we don’t need on Craigslist/Ebay.

In progress. It’s a combination of the fact it takes time to sell, and that we keep adding to the crap we don’t need. We aren’t purchasing anything, rather realizing there are fewer things we actually need of what we have. We’ve made considerable progress, though! However, like I mentioned with my kitchen item, the piles of things to go seem to stay the same, no matter how many things we send away.

19 Make all of the things I have patterns and matching fabric for & 20 Take care of my alteration and repair pile.

In progress. I am a sucker for fabric, for sewing. I could easily go into a fabric store and buy everything I find pretty. Same thing with patterns. There is a sale, and I want to make all the things! So, I made a rule. No buying without an exit strategy. Fabric needs to have a determined project. Patterns must have fabric and a time line. That has made for the list of things to stop growing, at least! However, I’ve already purchased a lot of fabric and a lot of patterns. I’m chipping away, but there’s a long road ahead. As for the alterations and repairs? I seem to incur damage faster than I can repair. Vintage pieces have linings that disintegrate or seams that fail. Things are too big, or too small. A quick go through the sewing machine will fix it right up! Or some patience with a needle and thread! I’ve even finished some! I put buttons on a favorite blouse that was unwearable as it was because the designer didn’t match buttons to button holes and it always came undone. (Scandalous!) I fixed the seams on a vintage dress that always wanted to come apart! Things went from the pile to my closet. Yet, there is still a lot of pile. One of these weekends, I will chain myself to the sewing machine and get through these two. Like some others, I under-estimated the size of the project in relation to all the other projects and the time frame. At least I had impetus to get it started!

So, 20% through. Nine finished, eight in progress, two undone. 9-8-2 in sport record terms. Not amazing, but not so bad. Come by tomorrow for more! See how the rest of the list went, why, and what I learned!

So, I managed to cross off not ONE, but TWO items on my list! In one night, no less!
Thanks to Heather, I finally checked out Donnie Dirk’s Zombie Den! She recently made a little film called Zombie Sweater. Due to conflicts, I missed the first screening. However, this worked out slightly to my advantage as I was able to make this screening, and I got to go to the Den! It was great to see the flick there. Apres Heather’s film directorial debut, Planet Terror started rolling. Having not seen that flick in a while, it was nice to be reminded of how delightful I find it. There was a nice crowd there for the screening, I think it worked out nicely for both sides.
I was immediately please by the cocktail menu. All their signature drinks were right on theme, and made of delicious ingredients. It took a moment to decide where to start! I began with a Dark and Stormy, to rate their quality of ginger beer. This got a hearty thumbs up. Nice bite from the ginger beer, and excellent dark rum. I then tried their version of the Corpse Reviver. They hooked my with the final ingredient: Absinthe. This drink was icy cold, and so very smooth. This was one to be careful with! I could see a number of these going down the hatch very easily. I did call it quits there, despite wanting to try a number of other potentially tasty beverages. The only disadvantage that Dirk’s has, is it lacks a kitchen. The solution is a bat phone at the back, where patrons can place orders from the nearby Psycho Suzi’s Motor lounge. We debated taking advantage of the batphone, but instead decided to just make our way over to Suzi’s and see the digs in person. We bid farewell to our hostess, and braved the drizzle to get some Tiki action.
We did discover a couple of advantages to getting our meal in person. First, we saved the delivery charge. Second, we were able to take advantage of happy hour! I had to try one of their famous Tiki cocktails. It took a while to decide on one. I am not a big fan of sweet, fruity drinks. I finally decided on the South Seas grog. It was fine, but not something I could see myself drinking often, if ever. It took me the whole meal and then some (with G’s help) to get through the drink. I think for signature cocktails, Dirk’s wins, hands down. However, I found the food pretty darn tasty. I had a grilled veggie sandwich with melted goat cheese and a side of tots. G had a happy hour pizza with chicken, garlic, and BBQ sauce. I tried a chicken-free nibble, and found it was pretty tasty. We also succumbed to a basket of cheese curds. All in all, it was nummy, but should we venture back, I think I will stick with one of my old standbys instead of the tiki drink menu. I think a bonus there is that I won’t have to wait until I finish the drink to get our check. The tiki inspired serving pieces are cute, but not so much my thing that I want to stuff on in my purse and take off.
So, two Minneapolis hot spots in one night. It’s almost like we’re cool or something!

I finally crossed something off the old 101 things list! I’ve been feeling a bit silly, since I haven’t been able to cross off anything. However, I did purposefully make the list things that would challenge me in some way. I could have easily done things like, “Do a load of laundry” or “Take out the trash.” I wanted a reason to do all the things I put off, or finish the things that I start and leave hanging.
Today, I finished my first porch project. I wanted to get all the pavers redone, which we did about a week ago. Before we put things back on the porch, I also wanted to paint the ceiling. The ceiling is bead board, and was painted a very dark brown. Livable, but very dark. Also, not a color I would have ever chosen. G and I picked some paint last weekend (Spring Breeze by Valspar). I got it prepped easily enough, and got the first coat on. I quickly learned that while bead board is adorable, it is not fun to paint. On top of that it was chilly. So, that first coat took a while to dry. Then, the rains came. I thought about removing the porch from the list and adding “build ark” instead. Finally, it was dry long enough to get the second coat on. I had to patch a couple of weird spots where there had apparently been a couple of tiny knots next to seams, but I did it! We replaced our storage chest and glider rocker today, and I hosed down the welcome mat. As soon as that’s dry, that will go back in front of the door. I even scrubbed the front door, and took apart the storm window and screen to fully clean the kitchen window!
So, I got to cross that first thing off of the list. Of course, now that the ceiling looks so nice, I feel like I want to add some crown moulding to finish it off. I am also antsy to get to the screening in point on my list now, just to make the porch extra cute.
On the bright side, I did start dividing and moving my perennials. It’s been so chilly, I was holding off. Today it was kind enough to get into the 70s, so I moved my bleeding heart, and divided and moved half of the hostas I wanted to move. They should have been divided out a long time ago, poor guys. Now they should be extra happy. I gave them more breathing room, and put them in a better spot. I am going to give some away, since I have so many, even after moving them. Of course, I still have to do the same to my four kinds of lilies, perennial geranium and chives. I am hoping that by the end of the week, I can cross a second item off the list!
By the time I am done with the list, my house may even be halfway presentable!