November 27, 2010

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff




Decorating the tree. Red ornaments this year….lots of small, fun things too.


  • There are those moments when you come home and find the kitchen flooded that leave you doubting. We bought a Bosch dishwasher last year, and last month came home to a flooded kitchen. It did it again on Thanksgiving day. After doing a cursory inspection, I left it to the Geezer to figure out the problem. He discovered that deep inside the machine were two filters. Totally clogged filters. I pulled out my trusty Heloise which told me vinegar and in what quantities. Soaking the filters in vinegar cleared that up, and running a cup of vinegar through the machine cleaned it out nicely also. We are back in business with clean dishes and a dry kitchen floor.


  • Two years ago, I bought a red bird. Oh, he wasn’t a flamboyant bird, but he was a nice looking fellow. Yesterday as the tree was going up, I couldn’t find the bird. No, I didn’t look everywhere. I knew we still had him. I remembered seeing it when we repacked the ornaments a few months ago but not this day. So we splurged. We grabbed our bags and off we drove to “City Lights,” the San Diego Christmas store. A true emporium of the holiday. It’s heaven for anyone into holiday ornaments. Miles of isles. Miles of color, lights, delights, and oooooo’s and ahhhhhh’s. Yes, there was the perfect red bird, but I valiantly managed to get out the door without buying a box of new wave stripey balls or a single red and white striped ball that caught my eye. Oh, the bravery of leaving nirvana with only one red bird.


  • The Geezer came to pick me up at work with the old laptop in hand. One of the volunteers teaches computing and another volunteer was looking for a used laptop. Our old one had the power she needed said the teacher, and at 50% off for volunteers this day, it was a price the other lady could afford. He’d brought the new laptop along also to fit it to a bag at Ross. We never made it to Ross. There in a corner of the thrift store was a really good leather carrying bag….at 50% off, the Geezer was overjoyed.


  • Decisions were made. The quilting things stay in their corner. The tree is almost up….red this year. The wreath that Lenora made us is hung. Now only half my chair remains to be sewn. The alterations to the slipcover were a raging success. Now half of me doesn’t feel squeezed into a bag of tightly stretched excess fabric. This afternoon, I will see if I have enough unstained fabric left to add a gusset to the other side. I must admit….the one finished arm doesn’t look half bad. What a good half start to the season here. We hope yours will be as delightful.


12 comments:

  1. Sounds like quite a day. I want that wreath!

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  2. Wish we had a thrift store like yours, sounds like the place to be.

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  3. We were supposed to get the tree up before the holidays...but didn't Now this week, maybe.

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  4. In our house, when we buy a replacement for something we can't find, we inevitably find it. I hope you can enjoy Christmas with two red birds.

    Thanks for reminding me about Heloise and the vinegar. I never had a dishwasher, but I do have a recalcitrant strainer in my sink.

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  5. I really love your blog. I used to do all sorts of crafty things, but then I got involved with computers and number crunching and forgot all those skills I once had.

    Now, I can live vicariously through your blog. How wonderful.

    I love your tree, it is inspiring me to do more this year.

    BTW, my oldest son and his family live in San Diego. He is a civilian attached to the naval base, of course. I also have a long lost cousin out there somewhere. Years ago we lived in Vista when my first husband was stationed at Pendleton.

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  6. No tree for us this year. We will be in New Zealand. I am taking one ornament, a blue wolf with the stars of the Alaska flag painted on it. My New Zealand cousin has a tiny tree, but my wolf is small. We got it in Sitka.

    I think your red tree is lovely.

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  7. Oh my goodness, you've touched my Christmas button. My tree will be decorated in cardinals! My favorite Christmas book is Fannie Flag's "Redbird Christmas," or something like that.

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  8. Your tree is lovely!!!!!

    Good job with the dishwasher!! I keep a gallon jug of white vinegar -- and use it for cleaning just about everything. It's also the best for your coffee maker. (just remember to rinse really good.)

    I love thrift stores -- most of my home is furnished from them.

    You've been so creative lately and I'm jealous. I need to get motivated.

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  9. We have a Bosch also. Thanks for letting me know about the filter. I had no idea it was even there.

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  10. Hmmm-Our Bosch dishwasher also conked out over Thanksgiving weekend. No flood-just the opposite. It won't fill with water. Also, the motor won't turn off. I have a repair guy coming on Wed. If he tells me it is to be fixed by vinegar, you will have to open a repair blog.

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  11. Love the wreath and the tree. And aren't you the strong one to leave a Christmas shop with only one red bird!
    The outside is all lit up and the tree is unfurled. We'll let it hang loose for a day or so before we put the lights on it.

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  12. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . . everywhere you go, even here. I'm feeling it.

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