I haven't updated in forever, but some progress has been made in my life.
Good: We have emptied the storage unit!
Bad - I can hardly move around in the living room.

Much has been disposed of, but there is a lot remaining.

Concerning the Subject - I have at least 3 xerox boxes of old Pikestaffs, Acorns, TIs, Complete Anachronists, and Marklandic publications. Among these were a couple of the Great Book of Laws of Atlantia (that I have found so far).

A while back there was quite a kerfluffle concerning how the principals of the various orders were selected. It was exceptionally forcefully maintained that we NEVER voted for them, only gave input to the crown who made the selection at their desire. I was particularly upset about this at the time, as I clearly recalled the election process. However, I couldn't prove it at the time and we would have been locked in a cycle of he said:she said.

I quote from the Book of Laws of AS XVI and XX-
XVI - Section IX Orders of the Kingdom of Atlantia; part F: "Each Principal of the Order shall be chosen by the Companions of the Order and shall have the following duties:"

XX - Section VIII Orders of the Kingdom of Atlantia: part F: "Each Principal of the Order shall be chosen by the Companions of the Order and shall have the following duties:"

I see no ambiguity about the selection process. Obviously this has been a burr under my saddle for a while - and now I can put it to bed as I have found my documentation. I had been looking for copies of the actual mailings concerning the election, but then the Book of Laws appeared.

I will update again as I dig through 35 years accumulation of stuff. I have already found my Dad's dog tags and our marriage certificates. I was amused as I found the paperwork just as the marriage equality issue was being debated in the state legislature. I have 2 certificates - one from the State and another from the church. I think this is the way it should be - but with the added bits concerning legalities. The state certificate address the legal and contractual issues of joining 2 people. If you want to be married in the religious venue of your choice, you get another one that only address the spiritual aspects of the union.

Forward into more paper (with attendant paper cuts and dust allergies).
edited for spellng

I have just scrolled back through lj to find out when we last had A/C work done. June of '08. I remember then that they just had to work on the inside portion, the compressor was still in working order. Well, yesterday I noticed that the humidity level inside was going up. I set back the thermostat. The temperature kept going up. I had the brilliant idea to go outside to check the compressor. It was just sitting there. In a rare display of thinking - I had Andrew check the circuit breaker (he was in the basement working out a couple of problems with the home computer network. Yep, the switch was flipped. Reset and the fan started up. Then t abruptly cut out. Reset 2 more times with the same result.

So we called Belair and arranged anon-emergency call for tomorrow. The weather this weekend has been very nice and open windows have been plenty. Monday looks OK, bu Tuesday is looking brutal. The rest of the week ought to be goo tho.

The long delayed resort of the basement has been initiated so that the workmen can reach the areas they need to. I am afraid that this time will be a new compressor. It is original to the house, and most likely has reached the end of its life. I just don't want to spend the money. We are still struggling with getting the reduced annuity income stream to match up with expenses. Having several of this large expenses recently has not been good. It is taking forever to get them paid off and I am massively grrrr.

I think an early night is in order *then* back at the basement. All of the stuff that has just been dumped down there is actually clearing out pretty well. I just am toast right now.

I am attempting to get in some way scheduled so I can get my projects accomplished. I have two major embroidery projects that I need to complete. In the meantime, I really need to get back to clearing out the cr@p in the house along with the embryonic machine embroidery business. I also rather wish the weather would cooperate and let the ground dry out enough that we can get out there and do serious deforestation before everything really gets growing.

The current house project is the computer room/study/downstairs room where everything gets stuffed. I have 6 paper grocery bags of recycle paper, a xerox box and a half of papers for the next community shred, and other stuff exploded all over the place. When I get my part done (dealing with the paper, filing and office supplies) it's Rorik's turn to go through all of the electronic components, bits of software and other computer stuff that *isn't* my fault. The sheer number of odd briefcases/computer bags and other sundries uncovered so far is amazing. One computer desk will be moved to the basement to serve as the focus for all of the network equipment and a set of cubby-shelves from Ikea we have will go into to provide storage for the office supply store that seems to have accumulated in there.

My embroidery projects are getting set up or a rotation. All of the research and working papers for the morse have been sorted and are at my fingertips. I need to do the same for the sampler so I can get started again without struggling to figure out just where I was when I stopped. For this I keep getting distracted by hockey. Turns out I can't sit in my comfy chair and stitch and listen. Much screaming at the screen must be done. I don't seem to have the calm center I need to focus on stitching . Since it's playoff season, I have more days between games so I should be able to find my blackwork patterns again.

I have one item up on my (with Amber to keep the Etsy rules in mind) Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/TurtleSparks if anyone is interested). This is directed at the steampunk community. I am working out the kinks on a baby onesie with a duckie with goggles to get put up next. A Caps scarf I'm making for Andrew identified a failure of technique that I am correcting. Once I have it fixed, I'd love to put it up as well, but then I'd get my very first Cease and Desist order and I think I want to hold off on that. I picked up a very cute vest and skirt set at the thrift shop (does not appear to have been worn) that I plan to embroider with gears. There is another shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheGreGooseNest - where Ill put up my vintage items along with SCA and other related stuff.

I really need to work out a daily schedule to apportion the available hours so I get some done on everything. On top of this, we absolutely have to empty the storage unit. I really think all the furniture in there is up for grab. When I get around to it, it'll go up on Craig's list for $5 each since no one will take anything seriously for free) But if y'all take it off my hands, let me know. I'll try to get a list and picts together.

Well, back at it. Recycle it tomorrow and I want to see if I can make another bag or two. I think a lot may end up in the shred box, but we'll see.

Tags: business, emboridery, housework, planning

Gaack. After being either out of town or sick with the 3 week crud since right after Christmas; much has gotten away from me.

KASF was moved to February rather than March, making dates on the calendar closer than you think. We (Isolda and I) were planning a joint display featuring the classic collaboration of artist and embroiderer. I provided the stick drawing of the general idea of the morse (clasp) of the Storvik heraldic capes that I intended to embroider in the style of Opus Anglicanum; and she converted it into something really worth stitching. She did a bang up job with creating the image and I really wanted her work showcased. The late start on coordinating our parts of the display resulted in a somewhat less stunning display than we might have had. There were so many spectacular displays that I'm afraid that her work didn't get the notice it deserved. We really worked on educating those who stopped on the intent of our display, but I'm not sure how well we did.

I realized over half way through the day that the printout of the song 'The Baronesses Bosom" that Mistress Fevronia wrote after nearly being blinded by the sun reflecting off the embroidered morse was not placed optimally. I had pinned it below the morse, but didn't make it clear that this was inspired by the morse NOT the title of the display. Ooops.

I'm still tired from the crud, and driving down and back in a day didn't help matters. I am finally sleeping well, a great improvement. Yesterday was for restocking supplies and hanging out watching a great Hockey game. Watching commercials with Igor and Fevronia was fun too. I've never had head cheese and it was tasty.

Today I've slowly started the great household excavation. Suitcases have been totally emptied and put away. My piled up laundry is cycling. I have decided that I will clear one surface a day along with trying to get back into some sort of routine. Starting slow - today the kitchen island is now clear.

Right before Christmas we had our bedroom painted. The boxes of stuff have never been moved back. So one a day of those will be returning as well. I need to be a little quicker on this as we had a really hard time finding garb to wear last weekend. I had been working on getting all of that organized - I have no idea where everything went. I'll get it dug out.

It's been several hours since the phone call and I am really not dealing. We saw him at Pensic and while Rags looked a little rough around the edges, and his energy was way down, but I never thought we wouldn't see him next Pensic. Now that Rorik and I are retired, we were making plans to finally make the cross country trip and visit.

We've been friends since the 70's. I think Rags may have still been in college, or just out. Our last interaction was him approving of my representation of him in embroidery of the morse for the Storvik baronial cloak.

It's going to take a long time for me to start to cope with this.

I keep listing that I'm going to clear counters, reorder the pantry, etc. when I make cleaning lists. I have actually begun the process. I have moved the coffee maker to the other side of the sink, cleared all of the other counter (except near the phone) and made an honest-to-gosh food prep area. Kitchen table nearly clear, same with island. Since I had so much flat space, I started in on the pantry. Brrrrr. I knew it was horrible, which is why it languished. I have pulled two shelves, dumped far fewer cans that I thought I would, and can see extra space already.

I believe that I'll finish the kitchen today. We do have a financial seminar in Greenbelt today, but that won't eat that much time. We have someone coming next Wednesday to give an estimate on fixing a skylight upstairs and I have made that the deadline to get massive amounts of clearing done. Included in the estimate is a free color consultation for their painting services. I plan to abuse that mercilessly as our bedroom is a weird shape and I have never really figured out what to do with it.

There is much more to do, but in a number of areas I have made a good start. This will make me complete those. And since this isn't for a party, I won't be exhausted afterward and need that week of recovery. I hate that about getting old - recovery is taking longer and longer after intense effort. There are areas that I will not be getting to, which will be much closer to the top of the attack list. I am looking at the real potential that I will have a mostly tidy home by Thanksgiving. Decoration and working on the two major disaster pits can then commence.

Much hope!

The attack on my dresser continues!

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I want to keep going and tackle the other dressers tonight. But I realized after checking the calendar today that we have our insurance agent dropping by on Thursday to review the coverage. Some of this I've had since we got married. It's with a fraternal organization associated with my church, and they donated money to the kids for college (small amounts to all the kids in the church). It covered some books. So I can't *just* work the bedroom this week. I would like to have the downstairs somewhat presentable. So I will be subjected to (I hope) one last panic clean before I work through the Fly Lady process. Le Sigh.

Also have to run by fighter practice to drop off the last paperwork associated with Post Pensic Revel. A side trip to Ikea is also on the list. Maybe I can work on the family room during Dancing with the Stars and Castle.

I'll post about the weekend and divestiture later. I still want some time to order my thoughts. Also, I'm considering joining the crowd over at Dreamwidth with a reflection to here.

I promised myself that once we stepped down as B&B, I would serious take steps to get the house in order. It seemed like a good transition point So it was a very happy happenstance that FlyLady is starting an early push on getting the house decluttered and ready for the holidays today!

I've been reading her for a while, and ave already cleaned up a couple of hot spots and the mud room. This week is the master bedroom Whoo boy! That as always been the *last* place I work on. Today is decluttering the dresser tops. I did violate a prime directive - I forgot to set the timer for 15 minutes. Something like and hour and a half later I had dusted the entire top of my dresser, but the top of the bed is covered with many things that need to be gone through and decided on. Many are in small boxes. I have started a box of donate/consignment. The consignment helps my frame of mind tremendously as I am much happier to part with things if I think I'll make money on them. Many really are vintage as far as Etsy is concerned, and I have opened an Etsy shop (The Grey Goose Nest). There are 2 more dressers in the room, but they are nowhere near as bad.

I'm taking a break to drink water and make lunch. Then I am going to attack those boxes. A lot is jewelry. Some is odd craft-like items. We found the baronial shelves off the bottom of the basement steps were very convenient. So during a sale we bought another set to replace them once we moved the Storvik stuff out. We never have had a good place for the odd crafting supplies. Now I do!

Tomorrow is supposed to be the night stands. I think I'll work the other two dressers as well. I'm probably doing more that is recommended, but that room is so piled with anything and everything that forcing some order will be so good for my peace of mind.

Water break. I am considering a mighty oath that I will have implemented the decluttering and other aspects of the Fly Lady disaster recovery plan and will not be trying to find what we need to pack for Pensic.

We do seem to be having some luck in finding some things that have been missing. Like the perimeter stakes for the pavilion. I think if I can get a bit of ooomph going I can have all the fabric packed before dinner and after the storms so it a be packed.

My to do list (which is probably incomplete due to brain melt)

ARGH! I knew a biggie! - note to Storvik about Pensic schedule and the water supply. We'd love to have company for opening ceremonies on Sunday.

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I know there is more, but I can edit and add. This will at least help me get my brain sort of together.

To record life bits - THe freezer saga - Our chest freezer of nearly 20 years decided on Monday night to inform us that it was terminal by only making the meals I was freezing to take a little slushy. So Tuesday we were at HH Greggs and decided on one of their floor models that was 25% off because it was missing its handle. The machine is going in the mud room and we can easily pull it open. It arrived this morning and just reached its target temp and I reloaded the food from the coolers. It is such a good thing that I have been taking tiny fly lady steps and recently totally cleaned it out. Maybe that is what tipped the old one over the edge - it missed the mummified turkey that was lurking in the far bottom corner.

The Storvik Baronial Polling arrived in our mailbox today. We urge everyone to thoughtfully make their considered choice and return their responses ASAP. TRM have extended the deadline, but DO IT NOW!! Otherwise it may be put aside during the Pre-Pensic Panic and be lost and your voice not heard.

Based on TRM stated intent of when they will announce their decision, We may know Our Successors by Post Pensic Revel! We will be able to welcome the Nexcellency(ies) in proper fashion.