Warnings and Motor Curses

So I just need you all to be aware of the recent curse that seems to be following me around these past few days. It's been quite comical actually...

I think I'll call it the "if you have a motor and I touch you, you will break" curse.

Yep.

So about a week and a half ago I was driving my work vehicle when the tire pressure light started to blink. It was pouring down rain and apparently my tire was deflating quickly. Took it to the shop... replaced two tires.

Then a few days ago Kyle and I bought some cowboy boots. Our first pairs ever really, since we live in Texas and all.  And I said to Kyle, "You know since we're spending money on boots the car is going to break down tomorrow?"

Apparently I'm psychic.

Next morning I get in my favorite little 1997 Saturn and turn the key. It sounds like the car wants to start but then it just doesn't. I try a few more times, no success. At this point I'm running late and Kyle suggests I take the Camry.

Yep, bet you didn't know we got a new-to-us car. Bought it at the end of the year for a number of reasons... one being the decreasing reliability of the Saturn. But I still drive the Saturn back and forth to work because it gets GREAT gas mileage and I don't want to put 90 miles a day on our new-to-us car.

So I hopped in the Camry and headed off to work.

Then I was on my way home from work and turned on the air conditioning...Light starts blinking, then shut off. The manual says this means I need to get my A/C repaired. :( We all remember that I bought a new air conditioner for the Saturn less than a year ago, right?

Sunday we decided to get to work on the lawn and we cranked up the lawn mower. Then it died. then we cracked it up again, then it died.  The curse continues.

For now, we've got people looking into these problems and it may not be too detrimental, or we're hoping...

But the real kicker:
One lady I work with was giving me a hard time about my luck with vehicles. She joked yesterday, since I was riding with her in her work car, that she was worried that the car would break down since I was riding in it.

Guess who got a flat tire?  Bet you can't guess...

...oops.

I'm wondering if I need to come with a warning sign. Just so people know what they're up against. ...or maybe return those cowboy boots ;)

Off to read what my professor had to say about my thesis first draft...

Today's Agenda

This is what I'm doing today...

Be sure to note the number of words in the document, the number of pages in the document, or the number of windows open at once... and don't mind all the highlighting, that's just me checking all my references...

But in the next hour or so I'll be done with my thesis!

...at least the first draft.

But then I only have to make the recommended changed from my committee...

End is near.

:) then me and my hubby are going out to dinner or something equally fun or silly to celebrate!

Wooo hoo. and Valentine's Day.

So I got an email earlier this week from my advisor about my thesis... I know, I know, you're tired of hearing about the thesis.
But, remember how I thought I was ahead of the game by like 3 weeks, "look at me I'll turn in my thesis so early?"  Well turns out because of the particular college I'm in, my first draft has to be in earlier than it says on my official Graduate School Deadlines table that I have ever-so-neatly posted at my desk at work.

Apparently the first draft (which is kind of expected to be like the final draft) is due Tuesday. Yep, like 7 days from now Tuesday!!

So I'm kind of freaking out.

Although it doesn't seem to motivate me to work on it more... but it's Valentine's Day and so I'm not thesising I'm just being very cute and romantic with my husband as he plans our secret Valentine's dinner for me :)

BUT

I also got another email from that same advisor today. It said:

CONGRATULATIONS YOU PASSED COMPS!

Okay, not in all caps but it did have an exclamation mark. Apparently the official scores won't be mailed (snail mail) until the end of the week. But my particular advisor is particularly cool and let me know today.

She must have thought it'd be great Valentine's Day news. Or was saying, "you passed your comps, so finish your thesis already and you'll be done... finish the thesis!"

Maybe.

So Happy Valentine's Day. I'm loving this holiday this year.

Hurry back soon and I'll show you what I made for Kyle this year so he'd be my valentine. (After he opens it.) I'm so proud of it...

Charlie Brown Chevron

So while I'm thesis weekending, planning for Valentine's Day and getting really excited about a friend who's in town....

I was pinterest-ing. Of course. And writing some blog posts for you about lasagna and angel food cake. Yes. Really!

But perusing Pinterest I realized something about Charlie Brown.

He was way way ahead of his time with the chevron craze.

So here's to you Charlie Brown, way to be so ahead of the fashion times that you waited all day by the mail box for a Valentine. Some of us are just a few 50 years ahead of the trends. I'm sure today you'd be all over Pinterest.

Happy Valentine's Day. Happy Charlie Brown. If you can make it happen watch A Charlie Brown Valentine this year! He's a good one.

:)

A Tale of Two Sewing Machines

I'm not sure if I've shared with you about my new sewing machines. Yep plural, I have TWO.

I went from none to two when someone asked my mom if she wanted a sewing machine… I think. Mom knew I was looking into sewing and they gave them right to me! How lucky and nice is that!

You won't believe them.

Machine Number One: The Seventies Model

This is the Singer Touch & Sew 756.  It does the fancy zig-zag stitched and the like with just a turn of the dial. Apparently it was one of the first of its kind in the fancy-stitch department. :)

This is the manual that came with it. Don't you just love it!

I can't seem to get the bobbin to engage yet… I'm working on it.

Then there's Machine Number Two: The Probably 1950s model.

Yep, 1950s. I've got a call to make to singer because apparently this early of a model isn't dated, but you can call in the serial number and they say they'll tell you when it was produced. The last copyright date on the manual is 1952.

Really though isn't it just BEAUTIFUL!

I looked it up and apparently these machines are known to work hard and work forever.  Sometimes they need new wiring so I'll check that out, but it works. Moves a little slow but I hear that means it may just need a little oil…

Don't you love how it folds into this little table? :)

So right now I actually have zero fully functioning sewing machines.. but soon… because I need to get on those curtains for the kitchen. :)

Anyone every oiled up an old sewing machine before??

Car Funnies and Curtain Dilemmas

So after work I headed out to our little employee parking lot and as I came around to the driver's side of my car I noticed that someone had parked RIGHT next to me, about 0.25 inches from taking off my side view mirror.

No hard feeling, I don't mind someone parking close. It's a tight parking lot and I understand.

But then I had to get in.

There was not even enough room for me to fit my body between the cars, much less be able to make it all the way to my door handle.

I should have taken a picture, and I'm pretty sure the security guys inside must have been laughing on their cameras as I had to go around the car, to the passenger side door, crawl over the seat, over the stick shift… and then figure out how to climb back out again to shut the door.

Crazy times at the clinic.

But we do have another little dilemma at the house. We're trying to figure out a window solution to the window above the kitchen sink:

 Yes, that's me in the reflection of the window... and yep, I'm on

my phone talking to my wonderful mom... and yes, that's my phone plugged

in on the left because I never charge it when I'm supposed to...

Anyway... As I've perused Pinterest and Houzz and the likes I've noticed that a lot of people don't even cover their kitchen windows, they put up a valance, or lace or something… but our kitchen window faces the main road and I've actually had friends tell us that they loved seeing us in the kitchen as they drive by.

Hope that wasn't one of those days I ran to the kitchen in my PJs… creepy.

So here are the two competing ideas… I have the fabric, and really all the materials needed for idea number one, but I'm just not sure…

The Easiest: Burlap Flowy-ish Curtains (is that the right term?)

Like this below, but without the white fabric at the top. And think brushed nickel instead of the black curtain rod and rings..

or The Fancier "Casual" Roman Shade

But then I saw this one by Martha. And realized it does in fact look a little more kitchen-y and maybe a little cleaner. Imagine this in tan burlap instead of red… it's a lot more labor intensive (and I have to repair my sewing machine first) but may be worth it.

That's the big debate today at the Hess House. What do you think? Thinking ease of making it, function of hiding our PJ-ed selves, and of course the look!

What do ya think??

Made It.

So we made it through that thing called comps.

But really, barely, lol.

Turns out that what I thought was just "allergies" on the Friday that comps started was actually some nasty virus thing that ended up being sort of terribly awful and contagious, sorry Kyle :(

Luckily 12-hour Sudafed kind of saved my life... well... after waiting in the pharmacy line to purchase it from behind the counter. I told Kyle on the phone while standing in line, "they're keeping the medicine locked up. It's probably because teenagers use it to make that meth drug that blows people's cars up." Turns out I was right, I probably shouldn't have been talking as loud as I was, and after saying "teenagers" like I did I realized how old I'm getting :(

But I downed Sudafed every 12 hours on the dot, 24 hour allergy (just in case it was still "allergies") and cranked out four papers when two of the nights I couldn't see the computer screen past the fog.

Imagine calling your boss the week she knows you have a big school assignment and saying "I'm sick." Luckily I have a wonderful boss who knew I was actually telling the truth.

But we survived, and I say "we" because Kyle cooked all week and I think they maybe should give him a little certificate too when I finish this Masters. :)

3-4 weeks and they'll mail out the results. Until then I told myself I'd keep the momentum up and crank out my thesis manuscript.  So I'm trying to stick to it. Other than tonight of course when I "just want to relax..."

And with all that, we did actually get some fun stuff done around the house this week.. one project that's been waiting half done since before Thanksgiving for me to finish! Can't wait to show it off!

Happy done-ness.