I have 2 suits to do a quick tailoring on and a box of men's handkerchief's to monogram for my MIL to give her "kissing friend" at the nursing home for Christmas and then the "Closed for Christmas" sign goes up. Whew! Was totally slammed and put in some hours to get things out in time for the Holidays. I wouldn't have been in such a crunch except I pulled a muscle in my rib cage and so I didn't get much stretching/stapling of upholstery done for several weeks. That put me in a bind with the office that I upholstered the office chairs for. So, I dropped all my Christmas stuff so I could meet the chair deadline (they have a boat project that I was NOT going to lose) and then burned the midnight oil to get the "fun" stuff done. Now that the embroidery projects, less my MIL's, are done; it is definitely time to get these two suits done and out of here. If 2015 continues at the pace Nov & Dec have been going at, I will be crazy busy. I'm booked for 2 boats (seats, etc.) and 2 pontoon covers so far. 2 chairs, both interesting in different ways booked as well. I'm telling people mid-March already.
Are y'all closed yet? How is your New Year stacking up?
Virginia
We have to clean 3 units on Christmas day and then I have very large and complex shade sail to start the next day, biggest one I have ever done, no rest for the wicked. :)
Can't say I ever close up completely. Always something to do to keep me on schedule but I won't put in more then 2 hours per day in the shop and then maybe some emails and paperwork. I'm holding back some checks until after the first so there's some deposits to fill out.
I'm happy about business - seems to be enough without flat spots. They said the economy grew and stocks broke a record. It will roll down hill to me at some point. Retirement can't come soon enough -
SA
I delivered the last item on Friday 12/19, having worked steadily on a variety of small jobs up until then. I have ordered the vinyl for my "welcome back" project (1st. week in January), put the final touches on requested estimates, and in the meantime have a variety of small "thises and that's" which I've wanted to get to for some time now.
I made the decorations for the outside of the house and put them up pretty much single handedly and I've put together the holiday menu, and given the house a pretty good cleaning, too. I'm glad I had a "finished" date this year, something I've never done in the past. Feels great.
I was doing great a lot of work then my brother had a stroke also and is having bypass surgery tomorrow I finished up the job were were on and today did a small sailboat top and winch covers, I also started to take down my large table because im going to have to move back to working in my home shop after john comes home. to be close as hes getting better. maybe downsizing is a good thing. cut back slow down in the new year. anyway ive got about 6 hours to continue moving stuff back to my home shop maybe a little christmass day?
Yes.
gene
We closed officially on the 19th. I stopped in a couple of small towns coming across Manitoba to do mattress inspections on Sunday and billed them out Monday. Back to work on the 5th.
I'm waiting on my two gents to come and pick up their suits I altered for them and then the sign goes up. Know it's time to get the house presentable for the company tomorrow. Bob's getting ready to mop the kitchen floor and I'll spit shite the bathroom after my customers leave. I'll dust and vac the cat hair off the dining room chairs in the morning and Bob will do the carpets and we're good to go. Took it easy on ourselves this year and let one of the stores do the cooking for us. We picked up a huge box this morning with ham and all the trimmings. All we have to do is heat to the proper temperature tomorrow. SIL and her son are picking up MIL from the Nursing Home.
Hope everyone enjoys their day(s) off! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Virginia
I spent most of the morning putting one of those battery-powered toy cars together.
As I worked on it, I realized that it cost more than my first REAL car!
This one even has a place to plug in an MP3 player.
I spent the day in a waiting hospital waiting room. don't mean to sound down im happy . my brother looks like he wuill recover well and they found a blockage that could be repaired in his heart and is still here! he was still out at 630 said he should come aroung in a few hours. so I came home feed my dogs, am heating a pot pie, not how I expected to spend christmass eve but ill take it . merry christmass all
Quote from: Mike on December 24, 2014, 04:13:09 pm
I spent the day in a waiting hospital waiting room. don't mean to sound down im happy . my brother looks like he wuill recover well and they found a blockage that could be repaired in his heart and is still here! he was still out at 630 said he should come aroung in a few hours. so I came home feed my dogs, am heating a pot pie, not how I expected to spend christmass eve but ill take it . merry christmass all
Keep your chin up Mike!
Sounds like John will make a good recovery. As you know, strokes are a mother and it just takes time and good physical therapy. Is he having any issues with speech?
Have a good Christmas. I'm betting next year will be a great one for you two!
Virginia
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Virginia he talkes fine it was right brain before the surgery he was walking with a walker long walk up the corodor His left ankle is limited control but after recovery from the bypass yesterday he is schedualed for i tense therapy across the street at a great in patient facility.
Today was calm before the storm.
Two daughters, their husbands and total of 7 kids arrive tomorrow afternoon. Another family of five arrive Sunday.
Mike, that's wonderful news! recovery can be a long slog but the results are worth it. My best to both you and your brother.
Fasten your chinstrap, Hammer..
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Quote from: bobbin on December 26, 2014, 03:34:02 am
Fasten your chinstrap, Hammer..
audible guffaw chez moi!
May the Lord have mercy on me. One of the grandsons showed up with a bugle. It was a gift from his other grandmother who gave it to him yesterday and they left for here this morning. Did I mention he's never played a brass instrument before?
Quote from: byhammerandhand on December 26, 2014, 04:26:53 pm
May the Lord have mercy on me. One of the grandsons showed up with a bugle. It was a gift from his other grandmother who gave it to him yesterday and they left for here this morning. Did I mention he's never played a brass instrument before?
Consider yourself fortunate. Grandmother could have given him a violin. : o
Nothing worse than the screeches that are made when one is learning how to play that darn thing. Don't know how my parents ever lasted until I learned how to bow correctly.
Virginia
Well, the other grandma is a Suzuki teacher, both 10 year olds (twins) and the 7 year old are playing violin. BTDT x 3
My sister-in-law and her husband are both PhDs in music education. By the time I met my wife, the sister-in-law was already dean of a conservatory of music. Her instrument was piano, but she decided to learn the violin. Her toddler son would come up and say, "No, mommy, no." when she tried to practice. She soon quit.
I am proud of myself. I knocked out the orders for the year and closed the doors. I was planning on opening back up Jan 5th but I have an order due on that day so will be sewing that next week.
But I am proud of myself, I closed down for Christmas and we turned the shop into a present wrapping station. No sewing what so ever.
Words will never explain just what an awesome Christmas it was for us. having both kids here as well as our granddaughter and two grandsons was awesome. First time in 7 years since we are scattered across the country.
I did learn one thing....... At my old age I could never raise little kids again. Oh My God those two boys wore me out. :)
Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas.
Chris
Glad everyone seems to have had a great Christmas. Ours was lots of fun as well. The time spent with MIL is a treasure. She'll be 86 in February and has more health problems than I can list here. Greatest concerns are COPD and Parkinson's. COPD seems not as bad now that she's in Nursing Home. SIL thinks that everyone should have 20+ cats running in/out at will. Then our evening spent with Bob's grown-up but previous foster brother was an absolute riot. His married daughter and her two kids were there (one is my Barbie buddy). George and his wife were foster parents to probably close to 30 children, in ages ranging from newborn to teens. They ended up adopting 5 and 4 are still living at home. They also had a couple and their son over for supper/cards. It was an absolute mad house with children running amuck and having the time of their lives. The adults all seemed to be having fun as well. I know that Bob & I did.
I am struggling a bit getting back in the swing of it. I suspect that next week will continue to be a struggle. Once we hit a normal week, I'll hit the ground running. Good thing is I have no serious deadlines, other than the quilt I'm embroidering and that is more play than work. I will take it to the quilter by the end of the week, if not before. Other than that, anything else I get done is gravy as far as giving me a jump start on the first full week of the New Year.
Gotta get ready to go to the store. Usually go on Friday but we were waiting for George to bring Bob's car back and by the time George left, neither one of us wanted to leave the house. Bitterly cold yesterday. Now we have close to 3 inches of snow to shovel and more coming Monday. Bob still has to deal with his car. George said he went out in the county and drove for about 30 minutes trying to charge up the battery. After I got back from walking Jimmy, I tried to start it and it was just as dead as it was Christmas night at George's. May be new battery time. Merry Christmas, Mr. Vet.
Virginia
QuoteOne of the grandsons showed up with a bugle. It was a gift from his other grandmother
At least she didn't give all her grandchildren bags of squirrel food for their visit with their Cincinnati Grandpa.
Hey Keith, I studied trumpet for many years with an idea of maybe playing professional. I'll be glad to stop over and teach the youngster a few bugle songs. I'm sure you'd love to hear Revelry first thing in the morning. We can sit out back and practice by that nice new fence your neighbor built.
gene
It could've been a drum set, Hammer..
One of my greatest regrets is that I never learned to play a musical instrument. Sure, I could take one up now, but the practical reality is that the older you get the less willing you become to suffer the necessary learning curve. At least I can clap on 2 and 4!
Reveille, Gene...
I got a Guild Starfire ( Guitar ) for Christmas. Back when I was 15 I worked for an Italian family in their deli making pizzas and subs. I saved every dime I had to buy a Guild Starfire and fender amp that my neighbor had. Her Dad was a Grand Ole Opry musician and she inherited it when he died.
I finally got the money together and bought it. It was my baby and I later played in bands using that guitar. Time went on, I got married, had two kids and times were real tough. I had to sell both. My buddy bought it for his recording studio ( he was recording for Chuck Berry and Aretha Franklin at the time and needed Fender amps for the right sound ). The guitar I sold to a well known national instrument company called Elderly Instruments. I would love to know whatever happened to it.
Long story short I found another Starfire and my wife bought it for me for Xmas. I got her an Epiphone Wildcat guitar, a Viola, a UKE and two violins. Our studio is now maxed out. We had a great " Musical " Christmas. :)
Chris