The pics Mike sent were sweet. I am glad you're feeling better. My fifteen minures a day of blogger didn't work out as planned. I am caught up on my email, though. I did that last Thursday. On Friday I went to the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington - there were 25,000 sf of scrapbook stuff. I have decided that I am going to start my own product line. I have a couple of ideas, and I am really excited. I am going to focus on the construction business first, because it is bigger money faster, but so far it seems like the start up costs for insuarnce and all are also bigger money needed faster. The Small Business people were no help at all - she was actually quite depressing. She even emailed me an apology for being so depressing! Then at that conference I found a scrapbooking company that is both Canadian and American, I have been thinking about being a consultant for them, like Jessie does with C & M. I love to scrapbook, so this might be really fun. I met this sweet lady who started her own scrapbooking company and she was telling me all about how she started - she designed six different papers. That was it. And she started selling them at tradeshows. Then she added little things one at a time, and she and her sister have both quit their jobs to do this full time.
We have had Ashley since last Friday. We found out that her mother had dropped her off at Lyle's grandmother on Wednesday of last week, and since they had so much company for Lyle's Dad's 80th birthday, Ashley had to sleep on the floor. Ashley's Mom had picked her up at three o'clock on Friday, just in time to meet me to drop her off at five. Lyle's Mom often has Ashley, but we don't know about it, so we don't have the opportunity to have her. I feel bad for Lyle because it is like his Mom and his ex-wife conspire against him. Lyle's Mom was telling Lyle's aunt that she would have Ashley until Thursday, when Nancy was leaving for Michigan, and I was so proud of him, he jumped right in and said - "Wait, if Nancy does not want to have her then I will, she's my daughter. We'll keep her until then." Lyle's Mom just looked at him, all shocked. He called Nancy on Sunday, and left a message on her cell phone, and she called him back on Tuesday. I wish they would get along better, because Ashley always wants to call her Mom before she goes to bed and Nancy never answers when she sees our number. The saddest part is that Ashley knows it, because when I got the new cell phone she wanted to call on it because it was a new number "Mommy doesn't know", and Nancy did answer that first call. I always tell her Mommy must have gone to the bathroom or run to the mailbox or something, but she just looks at me like I am nuts.
It is definitely true that having a kid in the house makes it harder to get stuff done. Instead of working for an hour at a time on tasks, we set up the timer for 45 minutes, and I would get Ashley started on a craft or a toy and play for fifteen minutes with her, then work for 45 on business stuff. She got really good at telling time on the timer,
and at thinking of new things to do. We meant to sew a Barbie dress and do a scrapbook page, but didn't get around to either. Part of that is because my "studio" where my craft stuff is, is overflowing with wedding stuff. I think I will get ready for both of those things ahead of time for her next visit. Well, maybe for the scrapbooking page, But I'd like her to figure out sewing the way Mom taught me, from the beginning. I still remember that library book from the library that had the Barbie patterns in it. I got her some patterns off ebay last year for her birthday. Her cutting skills are good enough now to cut out the patterns.
I have been trying to email Charlene my cool schedule that I have on the fridge for chores (I am a day ahead this week because Thursday is grocery day and I went yesterday while Ashley was with me, because she likes it.) but her mailbox is full. Bummer. I guess I'll have to mail her one...hey - that's a great idea! Of course, Monday being "I love Lyle day" (I changed that from Laundry day because there is no frigging way I am doing all my laundry in one day!) might not work for her, but...she can modify it. I'll email you a copy, whee. It is great - Each day has five or six chores, and that's it. And my zones are on the bottom, but I am not doing those consistently yet. A lot of them are hard because i DON'T HAVE THE ITEM IN QUESTION - I.E.the sink! I know, no excuses. I have started to do them while I am making supper - I am up and waiting on stuff to cook anyways between five and five-thirty. Anyways, love you all, talk to you soon. Glad you're feeling better whee.
