September 2012 more and more woodwork

Well, I have been steadily working with wood, stain and polyurethane the last week. I finished the master bedroom door, put new hinges and door knob on it. Bought the hinges at home depot and knob set at fred meyer. I am still working on the trim board for that door. Before putting up the trim board I am going to paint the part of wall under it. I used the cherry stain for the door frame and also the satin polyurethane. I also sanded down a small table that Brad uses as a nightstand, kinda beat up looking with water stains on top.The top was kinda like parquet look and the under markings on that table claimed made in Denmark!! Tonight I used the pre stain conditioner and actually stained it cherry, It was very beautiful. Tomorrow I will apply at least two coats of polyurethane, not sure if I will use satin or semi gloss. Let you know next week. Tomorrow I will remove the door to my bedroom for sanding ........and on it goes. Will keep up with this progress next week. I finished the book, Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett today, a wonderful story of hope for African woman and children fighting poverty and AIDS and the volunteers and mission of churches. Really a great story for faith and hope. Next book is Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors, will write more as I get going with this one. I am also doing a couple of audio books by Alan Alda, first one is How Not to Stuff a Dog. A bit on his life as he grew up and his family, also some about his career. Some humor and of course, why and how they stuffed his first dog. Funny. We are planning another bike ride tomorrow toward Gresham on the Springwater trail just south of us. We have planned on finding and picking blackberries also. Wish us luck. Last time Brad and I biked this (about two weeks ago) We ended up riding at least 19 miles. About 4 miles farther than we planned because we missed the turn on the way back. We did get back by dark though! Most favorite online game, Hidden Chronicles followed by Song Pop. Oh yes, I finished the last strip on the throw I am crocheting with the Tunisian stitch. I am just edging that last strip and on to putting the strips together. I am doing it in Crochet cotton, a natural looking color. It is very soft. I should have this finished by next posting here. I am anxious to start some things for Brian and Sarah's baby due in May 2013.

February 2nd, Ground Hogs Day, 2010

Okay was a busy weekend, got the taxes done and filed. YEAH!!! Started on the basement, organizing and donating books. I decided that I was only gonna keep my favorite authors which I have many books to read from. I sold some to the Dakota Book Store in Gresham and took a bunch to the church for their future sale. I have MORE to donate yet.
I finished two more prayer shawls and dropped them off at our meeting yesterday. We are having a blessing for our on hand ones later this month at church. I started another one and am already about six inches on it. I made one scarf {trial pattern} for myself out of one skein of fur yarn and one skein of 4 ply. Now am working on a purple one for Brad, his birthday is Monday............. He will be 50 hehehehe
I just finished with the audio book, The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks and am starting the audio of Water for Elephants tomorrow. We are reading that one soon for the book club. I am reading the book, Winter in Kabul, which is the next book we are reviewing for the club. I also finished Mystery of the Angry Idol by phylis Whitney.
Well off to eat Chili, made a big pot the other day...........then Idol tonight.

March 2012 and exercise and yoga

Well, I have been doing my Wii yoga/exercise for almost 4 straight weeks. I feel so much better and my energy is increasing. I am not necessarily doing this for weight loss, though that would be a benefit. I am doing this for a daily routine for my health and my diabetes. My last A1C was 6.8 and I want to keep that or lower it more.
I have given up unhealthy snacks also, goodbye to cheetos, doritos etc, I am now eating cheese/peanut butter crackers and bread sticks and cheese. We are eating more fruits and vegetables also.
Today I cooked Lasagne and a dish with blackeyed peas and sausage. I also baked a loaf of bread with my bread machine. We will have at least 4 meals from these two dishes.
Hope to start blogging daily.

Sept 2012 wood work and other things

Okay, so I am starting in september to see if I can at least blog weekly since it has been two years since I posted last.... This summer I have decided I am going to refinish everything in sight!!! haha I first started in the bathroom, sanding the door, the door frame, the towel holders, they turned out gorgeous....Brad took about an inch off the bottom of the door due to damage. Bought new door knob and polyurethaned all the wood I sanded. Stain finish used was cherry finish. I also painted the vanity and Brad and I painted the bathroom a lovely shade of lavender. Next year we are hoping to finally replace the tub. Perhaps the surround and floor as well. Next project was the extensions for the dining table, they gave me a bit of grief once I got to the polyurethane but I won that battle. Now on to the chairs.......but first. I saw the small foldable wooden chair on the deck and it seemed like a small project, It sanded down fairly easy, I used a dark walnut stain and the spar urethane for finishing the wood, I took the fabric off of it and sprayed it with bleach and washed in the washer and hung it to dry, It came fairly clean and got it all back together in about a week time. I sanded down the cabinet I am using for my pots and potting materials, my plan is to stain and put an outdoor finish on it and tile the top. I had alot of sanding to do as it was pretty weather beaten. I used cherry finish on it and finished the grouting on the tile today!! Going to put one more coat of the spar urethane for outdoor items on the front doors. I finished this pretty much today!!!! yea for me. My newest project is the master bedroom door, It had never been finished so sanding it was real easy. I then used sanding sealer or pretreater for wood before staining. Brad also cut a bit off the bottom and fixed a small blemish toward the bottom corner. We bought new door knob for this door also and new hinges since the ones removed were a shiny gold finish. I stained the door last night and tomorrow I will put the polyurethane on it. I used cherry finish once more and should have this completed and hung by this weekend. We had to order a new heater for our waterbed before fall as it is getting chilly to sleep on it. It arrived yesterday and Brad had the bed 90percent drained when I got home from work. So I got to clean up all the framing and the mattress and liner, vacuum it out and then Brad installed the new heater. We filled the mattress back up and it is already heating well today. I am going to sand and stain the master bedroom doorway this weekend and then on to another door.......... MOST of the above woodwork was done from mid July through today. We went camping at Waldport area a couple of weekends ago and stayed at the KOA there. Nice time, just a bit of rain. Will write more next week. Anna

February 15, 2010 wow, two weeks have went by......

I sure did not mean to wait so long to blog.......wow......Well, I could not read all of the book Winter in Kabul, too depressing, missed book club today Brad had colonoscopy scheduled. I would have liked to hear what otheres views were on the book. I finished Brads purple scarf. really long....... I finished the prayer shawl I started just two weeks ago.....I am working on another prayer shawl, I am also working on a carry bag with crochet cotton, I want to learn to knit socks, I found a great site to help me out, http://knitting.about.com/. I will keep you updated on this project. I am reading Knit the Season and almost finished with the audio book, Water for elephants. Brad had his colonoscopy today and all went well. We went to eat at the chinese buffet for lunch. He starts working at Evans tomorrow morning early. So early to bed soon.........

Sunday January 24,2010 new year and what?

I did start the knitting practice I wanted to do, I am over halfway on knitting a scarf with two different yarns. One yarn is regular 2ply and the other is the special feathery yarn, it looks beautiful and it is RED.
I finished the book, Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher, wonderful. I will look up more of her books in the future. The book was a selection in the book club at church, we just had a meeting this past Monday. I heard enough good things to persevere and finish the book. It is based in Persia(Iran) in the time of Jesus birth, and it is really a travel of strife and adventure for a girl and her brother. A happy ending though. I wanted also to start the next book in the club roster for 2010 but it has not come in yet at the library, soon though. I did start reading the book The Vanishing Scarecrow by Phyllis Whitney but found I have already read this one, though enjoyable, I passed it by for the book Mystery of the Angry Idol by Phyllis Whitney.
I also cleaned out the linen closet and the master bedroom closet and dresser and took some items to Salvation Army that I will never miss. The living room is next and Brad wants to start on the basement. We are also going to ride bicycles today, starting a new year of exercise and adventure.
I picked up the next 3 books in the book club roster fro the requests I had at the library. Here they are:
The Island by Victoria Hislop
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Three Women by Marge Piercy
They are read after Winter in Kabul, which should come into the library for me this week. Exciting book adventures.
I also finished the third prayer shawl, now have to stop and put on edge or fringe to finish the two I have here before donating them to church.
Last night we had a vote at our union 555 gathering and they have a proposed contract that is good but not great, I don't want to strike but wish there were less compromises to be made, biggest is our new expense for healthcare, approx 15.00 a week for families. More to budget, sad. I just went to our union 555 website and it shows the vote was in favor of the new contract so it will be sent to Kroger for approval.
I have vacuuming and general cleaning the next two days, will probably clean carpet also. I am gonna finish the scarf, and start one for Brad without the fur yarn. I also need to make some calls today and tomorrow to mom and kids. Until later.

Thursday, Jan 14,2010 reading watching movies oh yeah!

Well I think I am deciding to post about twice a week now. Busy Busy. Finished the Secret of the Spotted Shell last night, started on Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Hatcher.. Watched movie, "Jinxed" with Bette Midler, so funny!!! Had a Jerry Lewis Marathon last weekend when I was ill. Watched Cinderfella, Nutty Professor, Livin it Up, Hollywood or Bust,You're never too Young, Artists and Models,Pardners,The Delicate Delinquent, Funny Bones(did not like this one). Also watched "Daddy" a danielle steele book movie. Bowling tonight, am crocheting third prayer shawl, gonna practice knitting maybe tonight also before bed.