Little Things Make a Difference

The husband takes a couple of apples with him to work every day. In the fall, I buy them by the case at the grocery store, but even a case only lasts about two weeks. (He really likes apples.) These little stickers are the bane of his existence:

Asking a man who hasn’t yet found consciousness to remove these stickers while he is making his lunch in the morning is a rare form of torture. When I take apples from the box and put them in bowls on the table, I remove the stickers so he doesn’t have to. I have fingernails and the stickers pop off easily for me.

Happy spouse, happy house. I just wish the apple growers would stop cultivating these ridiculously large apples. When I can find them, I try to get the Fuji 113s because they are a reasonable size.

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I painted the ice cream parlor chairs yesterday. I should have bought two cans of paint because I need just a smidge more to touch up a few spots. I’ll pick some up next time I am in town. These need to sit for two weeks and then I can clear coat them. I have three of the four seats re-covered.

When Susan and I were in Seattle a few weeks ago, we went to Ikea with DD#2. This is how I shop at Ikea: I see something I think I’d like, but I don’t buy it. The next time I go back, I buy it. The problem is that I might only get to Ikea once every 3-4 months. (I’ve stopped doing that at Costco because I know if I don’t buy the item when I see it, it might not be there next time.)

I went to Ikea with DD#1 in June and saw these hanging baskets. I thought it would be cool to have a couple of them on the porch to hold some small herb plants. I did not buy them.

When we went to Ikea in August, I bought three of them. I should have bought four so I could hang them two and two—three linked together is a bit too long. I’ll have to pick up one more next time I’m there, or have the girls get one and bring it home with them.

On my more delusional days, I think how nice it would be to have hanging baskets full of flowers across the front porch. I might start with one or two next summer and see how it goes. Do I really need one more thing to take care of?

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Two graduates of Janet’s Finishing School for Baby Roosters went to their new home last night. I “met” a woman in a homesteading group on the internet 4-5 years ago and discovered she lived around the corner. We’ve chatted back and forth since then but never met in person. When she found out I was giving away roosters, she offered to take one. We met in person for the first time when she and her husband came over yesterday evening. The funny thing is that she doesn’t live in the neighborhood anymore as they have moved further out to a big piece of property.

They took the large rooster out of the White Orpington mother. He was the one I was most hoping to find a home for as he is such a good roo and will do well with his own flock. They also took one of the Buff Orpington roosters. The Buffs seem to be late bloomers; I think he will also be a great rooster, but he needs a few weeks yet. My Buff Orpington rooster was the same way.

I wish I could find homes for the others, but no luck so far.

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I still don’t have time to sit and do any handwork right now, but Sue Spargo has started a stitchalong on Instagram—she calls it an Instastitch—and I’m downloading the patterns and stashing them to work on later this winter. This one is called “Squash Squad.” It’s nine different kinds of squash that make a 15” square wallhanging.

IT’S EMBROIDERED SQUASH, PEOPLE.

How can I not do this project? Instagram is not my favorite platform for these kinds of things, but I’ll cope.