I have a follower!!!!

Hello :O) I got such a surprise when I saw you here - I've mostly been writing for myself so it's a bit of a shock when I remember that this is public LOL.  Welcome.

I've mostly been fixing and adding to WIP - that is adding to their completion rather than starting any more of them.  I fixed a whole bunch of clothes for a friend who we visited on Friday.  She refused to let me do it for nothing (like it ever is nothing anyway - I left there with a whole bunch of clothes for Logan, several items for myself, lemons and a promise to hold onto her own sons grown out of clothes so that I can keep them for when Logan gets bigger - Dylan is 7 so I'm fairly sure Zoe will have use out of some of them before Logan fits them).  Trade prices she said and I had to laugh as I have NO idea what that is.  It only took an hour and a half all up and when I left she tucked $40 into my pocket.  That's groceries for this week *grin*

We are having big financial troubles at the moment which are likely to get worse in one way and hopefully better in others.  Marty has had enough of his business and is throwing in the towel.  This past year has seen a huge increase in competition and although he is fairly well established he's having trouble underquoting the cowboys.  They might not do a great job in the long run but there are so many of them most of what would have been our decent jobs have gone with them - once a fence is built it's a little too late to get someone else to do it.  He's physically worn out too.  I can, and do sympathise but I feel like I have to take up the slack - and that's proving very hard. Edit - Yay, he's decided to give it another chance.  Met up with a friend Friday night and they've been talking about what he can do (friend used to work for him and prior to that for himself in the same business).  It takes so much pressure off me however I'm still going to keep on with my plans - just with a little less stress.

When I first started job hunting I was looking at positions I'd done pre kids.  Then I took a step backwards and looked at basic admin and now I'm applying for night fill at the Warehouse LOL  I don't have a problem with working there at all - in fact I'd be happy to go in, do my job well and switch off from it when I leave - I just find it really funny how things have changed.  So much so that I'm actually going to try and sell advertising for the magazine I'm writing for.  My first article has just been published and my second interview has been organised but on Monday I am going to focus on selling advertising for the magazine.  I'm terrified - I am NOT a salesperson by any stretch of the imagination but times are tough and I'm being given a chance I'm not going to throw away.  Tonight I sit down and write scripts for each person I'm contacting LOL  Then I'll sit, Rescue Remedy in hand, and phone everybody on my list.  I can do it!!!

Here's part of the article - I don't think I'm allowed to reproduce it fully so it's just a quick scan of half of it to show off/brag about!!

Well today I've been working on the two remaining swaps I'm involved in - last ones for the year and really need to stop getting involved so deeply when I should be focusing on other things - like Christmas and job hunting!!!

My swap with another TNNer, ribbons for fabric scraps was wonderful - I've got lots of little bits and pieces to play with.  I've used some in a swap and made these for Zoe who is very impressed...

The glue showed through a little unfortunately but it was a lesson learned.

Another playaround was with this...

She's a Rose Fairy.  The beads I might add are around 40 years old - the big wooden ones anyway.  I have a photo of me as a toddler, playing with them.  If I remember when I'm scanning the old photos I'll pop it in here.  Wow those round beads came out very irredescent didn't they.  They're actually a lavendar colour but you wouldn't be able to tell from this photo.

My garden is starting to grow - well the lettuces are anyway - in abundance ba humbug - I can't bear to waste them so when I thin them out I may put them at the front gate for sale for 10 cents each - that's if the chooks don't get them first - which is why the lovely sheets are arranged around the garden.  It's gotten to the stage that I might just be able to off them myself if they get in my garden!!!!!!

Oh and the huge plant you can see in the garden is last years celery and parsley - apart from the tiny lettuce seedlings in the first terrible photo my seeds have not yet cleared the soil!!