My new ride, Fraelsi

My new ride, Fraelsi
Fraelsi means Freedom in Farose

Saturday, January 13, 2024

Damn! Didn't think out and plan for bitter cold weather!

 So, now I am seeing the flaws in my. totally electric room by room electric heating.  I obviously was heating under the house far more with that forced air furnace and all it's under the house ducting than I realized.  And this is the coldest winter we have had in years so ya, good way to see all my flaws in my heating system.  But I will deal with it, and work on it and learn and improve, but it's going to be a very cold week here.  Even my attic studio is cold!

     And I am still having weight problems, but am finally off the antibiotics, so hopefully I am well past that septic 3 pathogens problems.  The right little finger will never recover completely or be 'normal' again, but it will continue to gain some for a while.  And I am not being very abused at work, it seems that all of management appreciate my willing to work and do as much as I can, and not complain and I seem able to work well with most people.  

      American Girl seems to be the dolls of choice for my current doll sewing projects, last winter I did a lot of quilt top piecing and I might still do some of that this winter but am working on doll wardrobes, 1 is for that Marie-Grace that belongs to my daughter Stormy, I am finally finishing up the last items for her wardrobe, I did get those books and enjoyed them and so now I am doing the nightgown and will make her 'wrapper' which is a tied housecoat thing, .  it wraps and ties, so ya, housecoat, dressing gown, robe, and at that time and place, a 'wrapper' for a young girl in a family of modest income...  the nightgown only needs handwork to finish and I have finally made a decision on the fabric and pattern for the wrapper.  I will tweak/alter the pattern from the 1840's girl's work dress for that item as I haven't found a pattern and can make this 1 work.  The next wardrobe and doll is for my daughter in law's niece Stevie, she's getting a red haired doll, I replaced the original wig and she's a farm girl who loves pink so her doll will get clothes for that farm life and some of that pretty pink stuff too.  I have several of my older American Girl dolls that I plan to make some clothing for, I have never sewn for Josefina, despite having her and her patterns since she was released.  And I have my own Molly version, she's probably a re-wigged Kirsten with a brown wig, as these are her blue eyes and the right era doll production.  I did make Addy clothing years ago but never sewed for Josefina or Julie and now have several more dolls to sew for so plan to work on wardrobes for each.  And I spent a lot more than I should have at the American Girl winter sale so have a lot of seperates and yes did buy multiple of some so can put the same sweater/top in wardrobes and then make or come up with skirts and/or pants to go with them.  And estate sale flannel has become nightgowns, 4 of the same and 1 of just the pink with big dots for Stevie's box. And that used up almost all that flannel.  I am putting a lot of donated and estate sales fabrics into the doll sewing and making good use of those purchases.  

     And I am involved in a 'treasure hunt' here. . .it seems that while stealing my new Timex watch the cat or cats managed to pull off the back and that part and some of the watch 'guts' are missing.  I expect to have a much cleaner house as I seem to be cleaning as I hunt. . . and I am chasing out dust bunnies and cat hair, dust and what not while I hunt every crevice and under everything.  Darn cat!

     Life is very good here, yes, I have spent way too much $$ on things I didn't need but it is my earnings and my life and my responsibilities.  My electric bill will be very high this coming bill, but I will manage and am not going to regret ending the natural gas furnace.  Some work and investment in insulating under the house, especially the underside of the floors will help a lot.  

     We are currently working over 8 hours and 6 day weeks, but this winter storms and cold has slowed this week down, some was the wet slop making it hard or unsafe for trucks to get in and out of farms to haul pigs to the plant and now it's this very cold spell.  We worked short Friday and were less than 6 hours today.  And as I am back on the production floor, I am working the full shift, in different jobs that have me doing quality control work, but. no knife handling or other work that's damaging to my already damaged hands.  

   The cats are looking for warm spots, they think it's cold tonight too. 


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