It is just a dream

A Stitch In Time

There are so many activities I would like to do:  become a successful massage therapist and to own/operate a yarn store, not unlike Wool becomes Ewe < I really enjoy that store; a shame that I live 30-45 minutes south of them.   This little slice of entrepreneurship would be run by just me and my girls – worker’s compensation insurance is too expense, which is a shame cause I know of local teens that would be great in the shop.  Cannot operate a shop if the insurance is too high.  In this fantasy my shop would be named something like A Stitch In Time.

Ronnie operated a successful home improvement/painting/small maintenance business for several decades.  In the beginning the paperwork was manageable and people paid semi-ontime.  As time went on, the paperwork became unmanageable, insurance too costly and long time clients taking more and more time to pay.  Roughly four years ago he gave up his own business to go to work for the Grist Mill Square (one of his clients) full time as their maintenance man and has not looked back; says it is one of the best moves of his life (next to meeting me).

Google is full of articles on how to and not to run a yarn shop.  In this one the author makes some good points including the craft table clique.  I do well with people in small doses – not good for someone who wants to operate a store, eh?  Typing all this out has helped me to realize that perhaps starting a knitting/crochet circle would be a better option.  That way I could teach AND learn from others.  Oh, and the location must have internet – YouTube has a plethora of learning to knit videos.

There is a church just three doors down from me and the local radio station advertises womens aerobics on wed or thurs nights.  Perhaps the pastor would be willing to let me hold a knitting-b there.

Anyone have experience with this type of thing?  I am thinking that having a set of understandings prior to beginning the B would be good: be understanding and tolerant of beliefs other than your own, be open to learning a new way of doing something, etc.  What else?

Chinese waves

I am back into knitting dish cloths and a new favorite design is this one by Maggie’s Rags (who appears to be only 2 hours south of where I am!).  It is aptly named Chinese waves. The couple whose wedding we are attending this Saturday will receive a dish cloth from this pattern, a crochet pot holder, mirror (on their registry list, though hand crafted by Ronnie) and a tea light holder.  I’ll get a picture of the mirror and tea light holder this evening.

Yesterday evening we went to the art show and band concert at the high school;  A16 and K14 had several pieces on display.  As it turns out  A16 had one piece place best in show and another second place.  This collage includes a few of the pieces, not all; the missing art will be published as it is framed and hung about the house. 

The kitchen

How does one celebrate the of learning to knit not one but two socks?  Why, tearing out the ceiling in the kitchen, that’s how!

It appears that the kitchen, beneath tongue & groove pine paneling and ceiling tiles, is tongue & groove oak.  We’ve decided to clean up the ceiling, add a fresh coat of paint, and leave it as is.  I am in love with the look.  In the meantime, you can see what it looks like right now.

We discovered, when renovating the room above the kitchen, that at one time there was a hole in the floor by the chimney.  Our theory was that this was a heat duct and that there should be a corresponding hole in the kitchen ceiling.  Well, when tearing off the ceiling tiles we discovered that it was a vent; the kitchen hole is still there!  Now the decision is to install a decorative vent or use some tongue & groove pieces saved from another project to seal the hole and then paint.  Whatcha think?