Sunday, November 23, 2008

3 Things Standing Between Perfect Contentment and Me

Because even though everything is fine, life could always be better.

1)I spray painted three of my fingers just now. This is my trouble with crafts: I have a great interest in homemade and crafty stuff, but I lack expertise, so I try to half-ass it. Yesterday I picked up a little framed needlepoint of a very 70's turtle at Goodwill, priced-to-love at $1.91. It is adorable and I'm sure you will see it, just like you will eventually see everything in my house. But I can't show you yet because I'm trying to spray paint the frame. It's out in the garage. I was too lazy to take the frame, glass, and needlepoint apart properly, because probably thirty years ago, someone put masking tape all over the back of the frame. So I did a quickie job of covering the glass with paper and post-it notes (really, I should put all these tricks in a book), and then when I got out to the garage, part of the paper started peeling up, so I grabbed a pencil and poked it down while I sprayed, and then I sprayed my fingers. They are a pretty celery green, and so far neither soap nor vaseline will get the paint or the sticky feeling off. Spray paint is not like regular paint. It is nasty. Why did I think vaseline would help? Oh yeah, because I was raised to think it was the cure for anything.

2) The house is a mess, and so far today, limited progress has been made, though Matt is valiantly blowing leaves right now. (I know, I know, leafblowers are a nuisance and they are bad for the planet. The first Fall we lived here, we raked. But you would not believe the biomass of leaves we're talking about. Now we blow.) We've got a busy week ahead, but I thought it would be more fun to spray paint my fingers than pick up Legos and do laundry. Matt's mom and brother are coming early in the week for a little pre-Thanksgiving house party, and I need to get my act together quick. Also I guess I'm dealing with some leafblower guilt.

3)I know I'm killing you with this Room Mom stuff, but late last night, I got this cry for help from my co-room mom about our auction basket:

UGH!!! You should see the PATHETIC amount of stuff that was donated. I’m going to have to make a little go a LONG way!! This is going to be embarrassing! :( What do you think we should do? Jan

I told her that I think she needs to stop being a crazy person, wait a little longer for parents to send things in (because the auction is not until December 6), and that she needs to not botch her every email communication with the class, because probably people didn't read her auction basket emails, and that the way she listed each little wooden spoon and bamboo skewer individually probably made people think we had a long list of stuff, but ABOVE ALL, she needs to wait a little longer for items to trickle in. This morning she responded

You’re right, parents must have thought we had enough stuff but I guess I assumed they would each STILL send in an item or separate $$. That’s why I think I screwed up by not being specific about class money. I bet most parents think that it’s for the basket too. I will add my stuff to the basket that I had bought for my husband for Christmas (I was making him a BBQ basket, that’s where I got the idea). I have all the receipts but I will “donate” most of it since a lot of it I bought awhile back and on sale this past fall. I got my husband a great gift yesterday to take the place of the Basket. Did you know you can have a regular photo turned into a painting? It’s all done by computer! I’m having a picture of my kids walking on the beach at Disney made into one. It’s big but it only cost $160. I can’t wait! I almost forgot, I had bought a whole set of dishes at CVS for almost NOTHING. I think it was 90% off. I can’t pass up a deal! They are plastic ones for a picnic or BBQ and I think they have a fish or shell shape. Can I add them to the basket? I still have a whole set of Christmas plates (from CVS) that I bought 2 years ago for 90% off. Do you know a needy family or where I can donate them? They are breakable so I don’t want to put them in a donation bin. Don’t worry, I’ll get the basket done today and it will be fine.

Does this email seem totally ADHD to anyone else? I do think she is very sweet, but she has a touch of The Nutso, and it's contagious. And apparently she didn't hear me at all when I said DON'T DO THE BASKET YET, WAIT A LITTLE LONGER.

So, fingers are green, house is a mess, co-room mom is a little kooky. All else is well, and I hope you had a lovely weekend.

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8 comments:

Keely said...

Spraypaint? Try nailpolish remover.

Also - Post It Notes - Hahhahhahhah!

And - Jan - I'm going to email her and ask her to participate in Random Thoughts Tuesdays. Lol.

Leciawp said...

Ugh Becky I am a room parent too, and it can really be a pain. I just ignore stuff that seems over the top - eventually it goes away.

I also wish I were good at crafts but am not...which is a real pain when I've got a son who is DRIVEN to create (and a father in law who is a professional sculptor - it is downright embarrassing). I can sympathize with the spray painted fingers.

In terms of the house, I can also sympathize. I'll be lucky to get to bed at all tomorrow, I have so much to do..

The Stiletto Mom said...

I was a room mom once. ONCE. It was stuff like this that led me back to corporate America. Could. Not. Take. It.

You are doing a good thing though and are obviously a better person than I am...keep it up!

Michele said...

Nice use of Post It Notes. LOL

JR used to use the leaf blower to clean the leaves out of the gutters. Doesn't seem to be a big problem here in Phoenix. Go figure.

Co-room mom = crazy

Good luck with the pre-Thanksgiving thing. My cleaning tip. Gather everything up and toss into the garage. Lock door.

Anonymous said...

Yes. Nailpolish remover will do it.

And either Jan has ADD or she is trying really hard to be casual about her freakout. Good luck with that.

Michele R said...

Hi there,
Recently discovered your blog. I swear I saw the same turtle picture at the Goodwill in Norcross a couple weeks ago! (unless there is more one out there).

Becky said...

OMG Michele! (the second Michele) That is the one! Hilarious! How did you happen to find my blog?

And that Goodwill is generally not good, but sometimes I find little things. If you know of any better thrifts around here I would love to hear!

Michele R said...

Hi Becky,
I cannot remember exactly how I found your blog. I am new to the blog reading scene. Some other blog must have had your name. That Goodwill was really good about 12-15 months ago. My closet is filled with jackets from there! I kept finding them from Ann Taylor, Talbots, etc. Now I find nothing! (which is fine because I have a different job and can be more casual). Same goes for books. No good finds these days. I was in the book aisle and I saw that turtle staring at me. I read about a new Thrift Store in Norcross by the bowling alley on Spalding Dr. I am going to check it out soon and will let you know.
--Michele in Duluth