This Evening

With all the homework, and the blog explosion, I forgot what I was originally doing when I started all this about 6:30pm this evening.

Since Rob had to work this evening, he took a nap. I also took a nap (hmm, a little insomnia tonight, maybe). Because of our issues with the windows, we've got a kerosene(sp) heater. I had it running as it was cold as HELL in the living room. I also had one of Cassi new blankies and sat on the couch and slept. After Rob got up, I woke up and realized it was snowing. Not bad, but the roads around the house appeared to be bad.

He got ready and left. I decided, instead of being a slug on the couch, I would get up and do some stuff on the computer. I've been designing some new tea bag party favors for Valentine's Day and wanted to print out the samples for my small binder. I think I'll need to buy at least 5 more of these little things. I know for Christmas/Winter alone, I've got over 200 different designs.

OK. So, you're probably thinking to yourself, "Self, what are these darned things Cathy is talking about?"

Well, so glad you've asked. I got this idea from someone's Web site. I borrowed their template and have been designing my own ever since. Think about how tea bags come from Lipton or Nestea. They are packaged in an "envelope"-type of package. Well, it's the same idea, but larger and custom-designed for holidays, parties, wedding receptions, baby showers, etc. I call it my "being different" party favor gift. Plus, if you want to add them to greeting cards, they're awesome to add to someone who might live far away. The bags I've been using aren't just the Lipton or Nestea. I've looked high and low. At first, I was using the tea bags made by Watkins company. It's the direct-selling company Rob and I purchase and sell stuff from. But, since they decided to stop making them, I found a just-as-good tea from Trader Joe's, who is FINALLY in the Cleveland area. Side note, I learned about Trader Joe's from my trips to Phoenix when I worked for Ernst & Young. Anyhoo, the tea bags are sealed in plastic. Then, with my envelopes, they are sealed again.

So, I started this evening, printing my Valentine's envelopes. I consider them a computer craft as they are printed, but I still have to cut them out, fold them and glue them together (of course with the tea bag inside. I have 29 different designs. Plus, I'm working on different phrases I can add to the one side of them, say 3-5 different sayings that can be used on all 29 designs.

From that, I got into the whole hoopla about updating my journal for poetry and other homework. Since I have 2 computers that can keep my multi-tasking mind busy at the same time, I have been running my desktop and laptop all night. One computer had music running and printing. The other, party favors printing and homework. Right now, I'm down to working on one computer. But, for a while I was also printing the photos I promised the school last week. I'll take them on Tuesday as the kids have off tomorrow.

I can't believe what a MESS my office is right now. I'm still waiting for Rob to finish my closet (note to hubby if you're reading this). I'm putting 5 to 6 shelves in my closet for all my paper-type stuff. I've got boxes on the floor in my office, in the closet in my bedroom, and in boxes in the basement. Some of my storage probs will be solved once the closet gets finished.

Hopefully, by summer my house won't feel so cluttered. It's 10:30pm. I think I'm starting to go down for the evening. The past couple of nights, I've had trouble sleeping. Don't know if it's the new-new bed or not. We got a new mattress and box spring. But, after Rob saw the mattress, he had me call the company. There was a huge water stain on the thing. So, they called and replaced the mattress this past Thursday. I'm probably having to get used to the new-new mattress as I think I set up my "spot" on the other one. Plus, it appears my left shoulder is bothering me again. For those of you who don't know, and you can laugh at this, when we first moved here in 1993, I sneezed so hard that I pulled my shoulder blade out of its socket, spraining my shoulder. To this day, I have problems. When I'm sore, it's typically when my shoulder is out of the socket. I call it my "winding up for the pitch" where I literally take my arm and wind it like I'm a baseball pitcher to get it back into place. When I get a loud POP, it's back in the socket. I guess it's also a part of getting old.

Okay. I'm going to sign-off for the night. I'm going to get ready for bed. While in bed, I'm going to work on my poems.

Love to all,
Cathy
8^ )

P.S. I've still got the day to work on it tomorrow before class.