In 2003, I was in the process of working toward opening our new real estate office. My boss asked me to take on the unofficial title of “Company Historian”. She requested a scrapbook of our first year in business. I thought to myself, “No Problemo”, I can snap a few pictures, stick them in a photo album, add a few stickers, and PRESTO ~ company scrapbook. Boy ~ how wrong I was!
About a month after our new office opened, I went to a “Scrapbooking party”. I discovered that creating scrapbooks involved a lot more than pictures and a few stickers. After dropping a chunk of money, I went home with a bagful of supplies and lots of ideas. However, beginning this task was more than overwhelming. In fact, I was so overwhelmed that I put the bag of supplies in a closet. I would tackle that beast later.
About 2 months later, I forced myself to open the bag and start working on my project. I sat at my kitchen table and embarked on an adventure that turned into a hobby that has become my passion!
The next day, I found myself wandering the aisles at my local arts and craft store. I swear I could hear all the supplies calling to me…”Hey! Over here! Pick me!!!!!" I broke out in a cold sweat; there was so much to choose from! Again, more money was spent, but this time, I couldn’t wait to get home to take my treasures out of the bag! I chuckled to myself – “I can’t believe that I waited so long to discover how wonderful this hobby is”.
The next day, I spent my entire lunch hour in search of scrapbooking websites on the internet. I couldn’t believe there were so many; I was also amazed by how many people enjoyed this hobby! By the end of the week, I discovered that 7 ladies from my office also “scrapped”. Now, I had a new hobby AND friends to share it with! Things just keep getting better! Woo Hoo!
Within a month, I had transformed my dining room to a scrap room, and forgot what my darling husband looked like. For Christmas, I had to put all my scrapbooking supplies in the guest bedroom. It took me over an hour to move everything. I hated to leave my supplies ~ I gazed longingly at them as I closed the door. After the holidays, my husband made room for my scrapbooking supplies in his office. He also reminded me that when we moved into the house I forbid using the Dining Room for anything other than dining…” Did I really say that?”
The day after moving my supplies to my husband’s office, I discovered that there wasn’t enough room for both my husband’s hobby and mine; my supplies overflowed onto his desk. I couldn’t have been happier at that moment. However, things took a nasty turn when my husband got home from work… he found patterned papers on his chair, brads on the floor, and ribbons, stickers and rub-ons all over his desk, and me in the middle of this mess holding up my newly created “masterpiece”. Beaming from ear to ear, I proudly held up a 12 x 12 layout and said, “Honey, look what I made this evening”. He looked around what used to be a relatively neat and tidy office and said, “that’s not all you made this evening”. But my husband is patient and I’m lucky! So we tried to live in hobby harmony...that didn't go so well...
Within 6 months, my husband and I decided to move our “office/hobby room” to the 2 car garage. This time it took me a week to move all my supplies. Again, it was not pretty. My husband and I negotiated which side of the garage we would have – he ended up sharing HIS side of the garage with the Harley and his power tools. I got the spare fridge!
Within 2 months time, I had re-arranged my side of the garage twice. My dear husband has started therapy. Things don’t look good.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
Swimsuit Shopping for the Mature Woman
In preparation for an upcoming trip to North Carolina's Outer Banks I went in search of a swimsuit. My search criteria is as follows: Cheap and relatively well fitting. That's not a lot to ask for, or at least I thought!
Since I was looking for "cheap" (price-wise, mind you), I took a look at the suits on the rack at my local Wal-Mart (local to me = 27 miles - 1 way). I was pleased to see a variety of styles, colors and sizes.
While I was looking, the sales clerk informed me that the swimwear on the racks were all that they had in stock. Armed with that knowledge, I started my search. I was tickled to find a very attractive one piece suit in my size - choice #1 in the cart. I then noticed the 2 piece separates - some of these had itty bitty string tops (yeah right!) and then I saw some tops with fabric that draped over the middle and ended around the bikini line (must have been designed my a REAL woman!). I found a few of those that I liked - some in my size, some that looked like they might fit. Then I went looking for the bottoms...I found tons of them; and they were teeny!
Now I might add that in my younger days I was all about a bikini ~ the skimpier the better...however, today that sadly isn't the case. I saw some that were "boy shorts". These looked like they had promise because they had ample material covering the posterior (a real must for me!). I found a few that I thought were my size. Just for fun (???) I found a few pair of bikini bottoms to match the tops already waiting in the cart.
The fun was about to start.
I parked my cart outside of the fitting room and started trying on my prospective purchases. I started with the one piece suit. Well, it fit, and it was inexpensive - which satisfied my search criteria. But something was wrong.....it showed every bulge in my body. I know that every woman has a shape...mine is lumpy!
Okay - on to the 2 piece suits. Okay - the boy shorts were extremely low rise - they were wrong for me on so many levels. I tried on one bottom with the little sassy skirt over the brief. Again, just not me (and looking at the abundance of this garment on the rack, just not anyone else, either). I tried on the bikini bottom and OMG it actually fit, not well, but they fit.
The tops were next. I quickly eliminated the bikini top - I actually laughed out loud at that one! Then I tried the last 2. I'm at the point in my life where I need support and comfort ~ if it's pretty, I get a bonus. Well, 1 top had no support, and boy did it show! Adjusting the straps simply forced "the girls" out the sides and under the wire. Finally, I found one that worked. (I swear, I could have heard a choir of angels singing) It gave me support, it was comfortable, it was pretty, and it was cheap! Hallelujah!
Now I found myself in a quandary - do I get the one piece suit, or the 2 piece? I thought about it for a few minutes and then came up with the answer - buy 'em both! But before I left the swimwear department I chose the last item that I need for my escapade to the beach...a cover-up!
Since I was looking for "cheap" (price-wise, mind you), I took a look at the suits on the rack at my local Wal-Mart (local to me = 27 miles - 1 way). I was pleased to see a variety of styles, colors and sizes.
While I was looking, the sales clerk informed me that the swimwear on the racks were all that they had in stock. Armed with that knowledge, I started my search. I was tickled to find a very attractive one piece suit in my size - choice #1 in the cart. I then noticed the 2 piece separates - some of these had itty bitty string tops (yeah right!) and then I saw some tops with fabric that draped over the middle and ended around the bikini line (must have been designed my a REAL woman!). I found a few of those that I liked - some in my size, some that looked like they might fit. Then I went looking for the bottoms...I found tons of them; and they were teeny!
Now I might add that in my younger days I was all about a bikini ~ the skimpier the better...however, today that sadly isn't the case. I saw some that were "boy shorts". These looked like they had promise because they had ample material covering the posterior (a real must for me!). I found a few that I thought were my size. Just for fun (???) I found a few pair of bikini bottoms to match the tops already waiting in the cart.
The fun was about to start.
I parked my cart outside of the fitting room and started trying on my prospective purchases. I started with the one piece suit. Well, it fit, and it was inexpensive - which satisfied my search criteria. But something was wrong.....it showed every bulge in my body. I know that every woman has a shape...mine is lumpy!
Okay - on to the 2 piece suits. Okay - the boy shorts were extremely low rise - they were wrong for me on so many levels. I tried on one bottom with the little sassy skirt over the brief. Again, just not me (and looking at the abundance of this garment on the rack, just not anyone else, either). I tried on the bikini bottom and OMG it actually fit, not well, but they fit.
The tops were next. I quickly eliminated the bikini top - I actually laughed out loud at that one! Then I tried the last 2. I'm at the point in my life where I need support and comfort ~ if it's pretty, I get a bonus. Well, 1 top had no support, and boy did it show! Adjusting the straps simply forced "the girls" out the sides and under the wire. Finally, I found one that worked. (I swear, I could have heard a choir of angels singing) It gave me support, it was comfortable, it was pretty, and it was cheap! Hallelujah!
Now I found myself in a quandary - do I get the one piece suit, or the 2 piece? I thought about it for a few minutes and then came up with the answer - buy 'em both! But before I left the swimwear department I chose the last item that I need for my escapade to the beach...a cover-up!
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