My adventures as a homeschooling mom who also has a home based business making soaps. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Tue, 1 May 2007 07:55:00 -0500 Tue, 1 May 2007 07:55:00 -0500 I have been busy setting up my other blog, and have been feeling uneasy about it.  There are various reasons why.  One of them being that I am finding out that people can be judgemental about a decision I make, and they don't even know me, nor do I truly know them.  I am, by nature, a kind individual, and very understanding, and what you see of me in my blog is what I am like in the real world.  I don't make believe that I care about someone, when in reality I don't.  I guess this doesn't apply to others though, and this of course sets me up for a fall.  I decided to change my blog for the simple reason that this one I can't even access most of the time.  It is truly frustrating!!  My decision to move blogs, resulted in a change from the one I was going to use, because someone didn't like it.  So I changed it to blogspot.  It was more user friendly for me anyway.  So I got to thinking, why would I allow someone to tell me what I can and cannot do, although I am sure this person meant it in a nice way.  Or did they, I don't know.  I don't even really know them, though I thought I did. Last night, I was lying in bed crying over my dog who is very, very sick and may in fact, need to be put down.  And I got to thinking about blogging, and felt in my heart that I need to leave the blogging world entirely.  I spend too much time thinking "oh, I have to update my blog", or "I wonder if I have any comments" or "Why can't I get my blog to look like that!"  or worst of all, comparing myself to others and being let down that I am not, and can't even meausure up.  Everyone else seems to have it all together; wonderful productive homeschools, simple lifestyles, able to cook and keep thier home clean and tidy and welcoming, all at the same time.  Well, I am not any of this.  But that won't happen to me by reading anyone else's blog, or life story.  God and I have to make mine, and I have lost sight of that. I don't have a lot of friends in real life.  I am not an outgoing extovert who meets people easily.  So I enjoy chatting with others and sharing in their life. And sharing mine.  But I just feel that my contentment needs to be in God and my family, and not in blogging to the whole wide world and having that be in the fore front of my mind all the time.    So, what am I going to do?  Well, I am going to close down my new blog.  I have been fishing for ways in order to make this whole blog thing easier, and it has just been harder.  The whole incident with this other blogger has hurt me a great deal, but I am a big girl and I will get over it.  I will keep this blog open for a while until I am 100% certain as to what I want to do.  Then I maybow out gracefully, and get back to my real life job, which is trying to be the best mom and wife I can be, and the best teacher.  If anyone would like to keep in touch, please email me, so I can have your email address.  I plan on visiting blogs and so on, as I have made some wonderful friends, and I am so glad that they have stuck by and read my boring stories and rants!  Right now, things in my home are very stresssed, and we are all very sad about our dog, and that is what I am focusing on. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/321962/ Tue, 1 May 2007 07:55:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/321962/ I have definitely decided to move into a new blog, I just have too many problems getting into this one, and it is frustrating!  My new blog will be at www.HoneysuckleHollow.blogspot.com  It is separate from my business one, and much more easy to use, at least for me!   I will be adding stuff to it as I have time, there are a couple of entries there now, though nothing earth shattering!   Sorry!  Indecision may, or may not be, my problem!  LOL! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/320334/ Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:31:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/320334/ I was just sitting down to do school this morning, when I got a phone message from a lady who runs a shop I sell my soap in.  It is a little stained glass and craft shop in a small Scottish town, where we all have really nice booths which we pay a monthly fee for.  On Sunday morning, at 4:30 AM, a fire erupted in the bakery next door, and it is totally gutted!  It burned inot the store where my soap is also, there is a lot of soot and smoke damage, not to mention water damage.  Thankfully, my friend and her daughter and the rest of the tenants in the apartments upstairs were safe, but my friend lost part of her apartment ( mostly her bathroom, I think).  The fire started in the basement of the bakery.  It was really fortunate that no one was hurt.  I picked my dh up from work so he could help me get my stuff out.  What a mess!  And the smell, the smell of smoke after a house fire or a bulding fire is really an unforgettable smell.  Most of my products are ruined from smoke damage.  No one wants to buy smoke scented soaps, but the odd thing is, I have a fragrance for my soap called "woodsmoke"!  My sister and I were looking at it the other day, and figuring out what we could mix it with, as it smells pretty odd for a soap!    When I got home, all we could smell was smoke, and that was on me!  The building was still hot from the fire, and it was pretty smokey considering all the fans they had going.  My clothes just reek!  The store on the other side of the bakery houses a chocolate shop!!  They have to throw out all their chocolate, and get the smoke out or the building and have all the Easter goodies ready for Easter in a couple of weeks!  What a job!   I figure I have lost over $300.00, but I am more thankful that my friend wasn't hurt, or anyone else.    http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/302029/ Mon, 19 Mar 2007 22:12:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/302029/ But this time I did!  I am not going to shut down this blog!  I don't want to write all my personal stuff on my other blog, plus I miss you guys too much!!  So I am going to use the other one for my soap, and this one for the soap opera which is my life these days!  Anyway.... I will post in the next couple of days! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/297153/ Fri, 9 Mar 2007 17:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/297153/ Thank goodness for anti virus software, as all I am getting here are viruses popping up etc, plus posts missing.  So it just sort of reinforced my plan, and that is.....   I am moving my blog, effective right now, to the following address.. www.horsefeatherscreations.blogspot.com   I am not happy with the changes here, but mostly, I need to spend less time on the computer, so consolidating this is the best way I can do it.  It will be a bit before I get all  the bells and whistles, but I plan on sharing lots about my business on that site and lots of hopefully useful information!!   So please come and visit me over there!  Once I can figure out how to add adresses and so on, I will be updating that too. Thanks!!  I hope you come by and visit! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/292180/ Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:48:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/292180/ Well, Robyn is now sick with a throat and chest infection, and I am getting a very sore throat!  UGH!!!!!!!!  Will this ever end??  Will I look back on this and think wow, we made it through and try adn laugh about it?  Or am I never going to be able to smell or taste anything again??  Double triple quadruple ugh!!!! I am hoping for an easyish day today.  We are going to be doing some school for a change, as not much of that has been happening.  Robyn will be doing some biology and Jeremy and I really need to forge ahead and get some math and language arts done.  Jeremy really struggles with school, and that means I really struggle with how to make things easy for him to learn.  He has no memory at all, he forgets things so easily!  I will have to review a lot with him today just to get back on track.  It really is very very frustrating! I am also making up some soap, and getting some thingss ready to mail.  I have a lady coming by to buy soaps for her wedding favors, so that also means I have to clean this house!!  Where do I begin, someones alarm clock has been going off for weeks now, and we still can't find it!  ( Just kidding,  it has only been a couple of days, and if it were happening, it would be in my dd's room, the pit of despair!) My birthday was yesterday, and my dh took me to my most favouritist store ever... IKEA!  I bought a huge big jar, a clear glass one, to use as a cookie jar, so I better get that filled up today too.  I just turned 38 yesterday, but I feel like I am 88 today!  I must confess I was in a terrible mood yesterday.  Every morning I wake up feeling like death warmed over, and I just was not happy!  But my family stood by the ranting and raving of this crazy red head, and we went out for ice cream ( 500 below zero and we went out for ice cream!).  We drove out into the boonies to see the people ice fishing, which is Mike's plan for him and the boys tomorrow, if they are healthy.  Dev just crawled into my lap and is stuffed up and coughing!!  I give up!!  The other day, I check out this website, and thought I could really see myself sitting on this beach ( coughing and hacking of course)  It is only something like $24000.00 a day to stay here if you want to rent the whole place, anyone want to come with me?? www.neckerisland.com   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/287466/ Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:33:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/287466/ We are so sick here.  Some sort of respiratory thing that morphs into a stomach thing too.  I am the sickest, I guess because I have been taking care of everyone else, not to mention throwing a karate grading in and pushing myself hard through that for 6 hours.  ( I succeeded though, I got my brown/white belt, 2 more until black!)  I need prayer to get through this.  Robyn had this a week ago, and it is back now in the form of strep throat, and a chest cold again.  We are running on zero sleep.  My dh is working all the time and doesn't really have time to spend at home helping right now.  He has been sick for 3 weeks, and doesn't care to go to the doctor about it.  That is another issue.  We haven't talked much recently, he has too much on his mind with work, and I only see him for an hour or so a day.  It isn't much fun. My doctor promised me this would be better soon, within the week.  It has already been a week and a half. Oh, and it is my birthday tomorrow.  I don't even care, and I don't think my family does either.   I am having a great pity party though! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/286710/ Sat, 17 Feb 2007 07:51:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/286710/ Life has been hectic, and we have been getting back into a routine of sorts, kinds sorta.  Want to see a big awful highlight??   I have to go to the dentist.  I haven't been in ages.  I found one I like, but the thing is, I am terrified of dentists, to the point of being physically ill.  Most people think this is very funny.  It is not funny to have teeth pulled out and scream for the dentist to stop, and he just carries on and makes fun of you.  That happened to me on more than one occasion as a child, my mom and dad were not there, and this dentist worked on his own.  A few years ago,  I got fillings replaced etc.  But I had to be knocked out, due to my fear, and the fact that the freezing didn't work at all.  8 needles, and I could still feel the tooth.  I don't think it ever has worked.  I always felt like someone was running their nails down the chalboard, until one time, I ahd a really deep filling, and the dentist nearly sent me out of the chair.  I freaked out, and he blamed me!  This was dentist number 3. Fast forward to now...dentist number 3 sent me to dentist number 4, who did 2 root canals and didn't tell me I needed crowns.  He also made 3 fillings so big that they need crowns.  This new dentist that I have chosen on my own for a change thinks it best to sedate me, ( IV sedation) due to this extreme fear.  Guess how much it will cost?????????  Are you sitting down? $9000.00, more or less.  I need 5 crowns now, and I only have one cavity that is new, but I need lots of fillings replaced due to wear and tear.  I cannot face this with just local, it just doesn't work and I don't know why, my fear maybe.  I would be out for 3 hours, he can get it all done in one visit It gets better. I need my bottom wisdom teeth out, as they are impacted and starting to shove into my lower teeth ( the wisdom teeth are sideways) .  It is not an immediate thing.  Which is good, because I can't afford the work I need done now.  I don't know what we are going to do.  We can take out a dental loan, but I don't think we can afford to pay for it.  But......God is amazingly good in every way!! Last Monday I was in a state.  I have been hearing about this dental clinic for a long time, conveniently I would see ads everywhere, and then they started to come to my house even!! Robyn and I delivered 300 phone books, each time I turned it over, there was the ad for this dentist. I went online to their website to get their phone number, crying and shaking the whole time.  I was going to call my husband... guess who I called instead??  THE DENTIST!!!!!!  Okay God, that was a really big hint!!   I cried the whole time I talked to the receptionist!!  I am so scared!!!  I met with the dentist for a consult to meet him, and he is very nice, and was shocked at my experiences.  I know God will provide the money to do this, but I don't know how long I can wait for.  I need to get this over with, and behind me, and get these teeth taken care of before they do get worse.  The dentist seemed impressed about how well I care for my teeth but just thought that they work I had done was not good, not to mention that I clench and grind my teeth. I feel like such a failure and such a loser!!  I have never had a good experience at the dentist, it always was something big and horrible, and I wasn't respected or listened to.  And now I don't see how we are going to be able to pay for this, this is so unfair for my dh to ahev to deal with.  His dental plan covers up to $2000.00.  Which is good, but I can't pay this, and I am scared things are going to really get bad.  I thought I could try it with just a local, but I know it will be painful, as it doesn't work.    I could try oral sedation, which is a pill to take, but I am scared it won't work and I will still be in agony but not able to respond to tell someone I am hurting.    If you have read this far and don't think I am a flake, thanks so much!  And if anyone has had any experiences that would help me, and wouold like to share, I would love it, I need some input!!!  It would be nice to not feel like I am the only one who is this fearful!  I am praying about this, and feel God is with me, and I know He will provide.  Sometimes I am just not the most patient person in the world!     BTW, Miss. Meg, if you read this, there will be some soap coming your way as soon as I can sort out my inventory!!     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/275624/ Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:42:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/275624/ First of all, Happy New Year!! I decided in my infinite wisdom ( NOT!) to paint my upstairs hallway and my downstairs one as well.  Why, I do not know.  I woke up with this urge to paint.  I hate to paint!  I mean, I love it as long as I can do the Mr. Bean thing and blow up a can of paint in my room, and voila, instant transformation!  I thought I better run with this urge, as who knows when it will strike again!  I hate all the trim work, the priming, the drips, the mess, the whining ( from me, no less!)  The downstairs hall going down the stairs was this horrid yellow paint which was unwashable, and grotty and you can only imagine how grungy it was ( look at all those wonderful words!!)   The bottom half of the wall was painted with these big darker yellow diamonds.    The stair risers beside the carpet is dark grey, this whole house was painted dark grey when we moved in. UGH!!! My tenant painted it about 5 years or so ago, and at the time it was okay, but not "me".  Now that the house has been ours for quite some time, it has really gotten to me.  I feel like I am going into an optical illusion and almost fall down the stairs at times!  Well, painting the walls was a joke, as I couldn't even wash the paint on the top of the walls.  I have no idea what kind of paint it was but it is BAD stuff!  I have done 2 coats of primer, and I can still see the big diamonds.  The top of the stairs is so high, I have no idea how I am going to paint it properly.  I did get a bit  creative and taped a brush to a long pole, and that works, so I assume the roller will too.  I was thinking I could stand on my dh's shoulders, but all the shortbread over Christmas makes that impossible!!  If I try it, I will get a picture!  I should have taken a picture ahead of time, a before and after.  I will see if I have one of the stairs and get it posted, so you can see the work of art.  Michelangelo, eat your heart out!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/263701/ Thu, 4 Jan 2007 08:43:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/263701/ Every year my mil blesses me with the most unusual things.  Over the years I have received huge platters that I cannot store anywhere, a night shirt that says "Awake and cranky " ( she knows me so well!! LOL!), sweaters that are so odd that the thrift store even slammed the door, and then there are the past two years gifts. Last year, I received a blue glass lemon.  I love blue glass, the cobalt blue noxema jar kind.  I got this lemon last year, and it can't even be used as a papar weight as it rolls off the table.  So it sits on my narrow kitchen ledge looking at me, wondering where all his other blue glass fruity friends are.  I have never seen a blue glass banana, or an apple, or anything.  Why would anyone make a blue glass lemon?  Why not one with yellow glass??  What do I do with this thing?  If anyone sees a lonely bles glass banana, please let me know. On to this year..... drum roll please.....the winner goes to........the automatic pot stirrer!!!!  The batteries didn't work in this thing, as it is so old!  You place this thingie on top of your pot on the stove, it is adjustable for all size pots.  Then there is this paddle,  and it turns whatever it is you have in your pot at the time, ie spaghetti sauce.  That way, as the box says, I can talk on the phone, or do chores and I don't have to stir my pot.  I couldn't even find out where to put the batteries!  My dh thinks I can use it to stir my soap, but if my soap seized while I was using it, someone would get a lovely bar of soap with an automatic pot stirrer in it!    Every year she askes me for a list, and she usually chooses to go for the more interesting things she comes across.  And, they aren't on my list, oddly enough... Now, I shouldn't discount this pot stirrer, maybe it is the best thing since sliced bread.  I am making lasagna tonight, so I will give it a try and report back. My mil is really quite great most of the time, and she is so good to us!  She is the only one who gives me unique gifts like these, so maybe I should be thrilled that she thinks so highly of me!!  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/259749/ Wed, 27 Dec 2006 08:27:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/horsefeathers/259749/