The other day as I was leaving the family xmas dinner, after I handed over (offered up) yet another handmade xmas DIY project I fondly noticed other contributions from past years.  And wondered "how come I don't have any stuff" ...cause I give it all away ....all the time....in multiples.

Way back in the day...late 90's (wow that was a loooong time ago), I was minding my own business walking through a mall in Edmonton when a crowd of people (mostly older men, as it happens) we OOOOwing and aaawing over something.  So I walked over to have a look at what was causing all the excitement.

It was a Shopsmith. (do they even make them anymore, cause I sure want one again). I stayed through two demo's in a row when the guuuuuy doing the demo finally noticed me and started engaging in conversation...probably cause all the old guys finally walked away, and he had time to kill.  I've always liked tools, woodworking stuff.  But didn't take shop or ever had anyone show me anything or how to do anything. Except we did built a house.  Stick built, if you know what that is....from a book no less.  When we were stupid  in that place "we can do anything". But that's another story.

Back then my husband was working out of town (what else) and came home around midnight ....ugh. What can anyone do getting home after being out of town for three days, then you come home at midnight.  With three kids that are sleeping.  Not much to do.  So maybe a fully stocked shop in the basement would be usefull.  Just think....all the stuff he could do.

So back then when I had good credit and no brain.  I signed the papers and like three days later it was delivered.  Of coarse three days later I had buyers remorse and trying everything I could to STOP THE DELIVERY ....they should not sell things to women that are wandering around a mall...probably the first day in months, alone, childless.  The state of my brain was probably worse than pregnancy brain.  And a man was giving me all this attention.  I would have signed anything to keep him talking to me in adult conversaton.

But these three burly guys dragged the thing into the house, set it up downstairs.  Again, I was having adult conversation for the duration of the install.  They showed me a few things.  And I covered it up with a blanket and there it stood for about 20 days before my husbands birthday.  I walked around it, had to keep the kids away from it.  Back then our house was a four level split. And It was set up on the third level just down the other end of the room that was the rec room.  It was about the size of a small horse....imagine trying to keep that thing hidden...and away from little hands and fingers.  The only person that didn't see it was my husband.  This was also around the time I quit smoking and banned the practice in the house or anywhere around me, but since my husband was still smoking - this caused some gripping on his part.  Since he had to go outside several times a day.  But when I happened to sneak out of the house whenever he was in town - he would sneak into the bathroom in the fourth level, turn on all the vents in the laundry room and bathroom down there and smoke to his hearts content.  And he walked by this monstrous thing many times (and he never saw it) and I know this because the kids squealed on him everytime he lit a cig in the house....anywhere.

By the time his birthday rolled around and the presentation was made he couldn't believe that he walked by it for almost a month.  He could not get over the idea that it was down there all that time.  Well he turned it on and then he turned it off.  And that was about it.  I was really pissed off.  And all of a sudden I started noticing all these woodworking mag's and books.  And whole section in the library even.  I dragged them all home.  Didn't have a clue what I was doing.  This was waaaaay before internet. How did we ever live back there in our ignorance.  It boggles the mind. I bought some fancy wood.  Boy was that an eye opened expensive proposition.  There had to be a better way.  After all I quit working at this point.  We were a one income family now.  No $$$$ for the next 10 years.  So I decided to figure out a way to get FREE wood.  I phone around to places that used fancy wood and dragged boxes and bags to them so they could dump all their scrap into them instead of the dumpster out back.  Yes I even dumpster dived for fancy wood.  You can get little kids to do anything for you if you ask.  "I will hold your feet, just grab the wood"  "I'll take you to micky d's if you go in that dumpster for mommy"  I had piles of wood all over the house and was making all kinds of things....for everyone else except me.  I can't believe the stuff I gave away. bowls,fancy boxes, nick knacks,  puzzles, toys of every discription. and I usually didn't make just one of everything but at least six or eight....assembly line fashion.

So now I have to go visit my stuff at relatives homes.  I WANT IT ALL BACK
Why do I still give stuff away.  When will I ever learn.  I gotta buy another shopsmith one of these days.  I don't know where I will put it, or even turn it on---all that sawdust.  But I gotta get me some of that.

So history seems to be repeating itself...and it's that damn PINTEREST site.  All these people with all those creative ideas. And I want to do it all. My sewing room looks like a small bomb went off

I've got three or four projects going on at the same time. Pj's for two g'kids still not finished, since they aren't leaving town till monday...I still have time. And then there's this embroidery thing that still isn't made.  The other day, actually probably months ago I noticed an interesting pot holder, or "hot pad" that they seem to be called these days, made out of selveges of fabric.  Who would of thought.   I took out one of my many bags of quilting cottons out and promptly cut off some fancy selvege and even sewed some together to make maybe a basket or something.  But there it sits.  I've dragged home some coffee bean sacks to make baskets out of them.  They are all sitting in boxes, taking up space.  Because I saw something else on pinterest that caught my eye instead.

So now I'm into making that....
A few years ago...I was parttaking in a fabric exchange with other like minded people and I got a stack of ugggggly 5" fabric.  Browns....what to do with them.  So I finally found something usefull.
I was very happy...took me a bit to actually find it. But it will look presentable on my sons dinner table under a hot pot someday.  And someday I will probably want it back.

I've been up since about 5am cause I'm in pain.....I reaLLY need some muscle relaxants or something.  But that requires leaving the house....it's too damn cold....getting to the clinic...which is going to be FULL of sicko's...so I will probably come home with SOMETHING other than a persciption.  I bet if I look around here I will find some from my husbands old injuries.  There's gotta be some ...somewhere.

But maybe I just need some more coffee, and maybe a shower...HOT shower...long enough to drain the tank.

....and "ARE YOU KIDDING ME....RANDY ZUKERBURG"  "ASK YOUR PERMISSION TO POST A PIC"
I laughted so hard I almost peed...a little bit
H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T.....did I spell that correctly
the nerve....privacy settings ....just for her and her family it seems....the rest of us mortals....well we can just suck it up.   But she EXPECTS an apology and PERMISSION. Has she been living under a rock for the past two years.  I'd shake my head if it didn't hurt so much.