April 1, 2008
High Button Shoe
the Tilda Collections
the farm update
 
..I would say good morning, but it is long since past that. I could say good day, but it isn't. As for March coming in or out like a lion or lamb, I do believe it did both as a lion, and most days between as a lion too. So much for that old folk tale. And the groundhog has lost my vote as a predictor of how many weeks winter will continue. Probably if the truth was to be known, he is still safely burrowed down in his den, waiting for spring, as am I. Waiting, that is. I am not burrowed down in a den of course.
April 1 greeted us with falling temperatures, high winds, and the rain of yesterday turned to snow again. I KNOW you can see my frown. If the weather doesn't improve in April, I don't believe any of my high priced moisturizer will help the becoming permanent third line in between the crows feet in my forehead.  I don't think I am asking for much.  Receding snowbanks? A few days with temps in the 40's? Sunshine? The end of a runny nose? A day void of my ski cap and arctic packs? Being able to take off long underwear for a day?  Between the runny nose, the third crows foot, and what that nasty old but warm ski cap does to my hair....I haven't been looking too good.  Ronnie inquires of me daily now, what happened to my hair? Zero-ing in on him, with my third crows feet focus and a glare that most men would cower from, I inform him that with the daily outside chores, that the ski cap reeks havoc with my hair, but it is too cold and blustery to go without it. Easily susceptible to sinus infection from cold on my forehead, I may have to wear this stupid cap until June. April used to be one of my 3 favorite months of April, May and June. I believe it is losing its ranking. I also believe I told you that same thing last year!  So what did I expect?
 
With a clarity of purpose that almost scares me, as I am rarely gifted with that talent, I am once again going thru my personal collections of primitives, antique smalls and 'needfuls of that time', with an eye toward letting more of it go. Had you questioned me about this side of my personality 2 years ago, I would have shrugged it off as impossible. I tend to horde. And collect. Ron, who does indeed live dangerously, occasionally offered that he thought we had too much stuff. We, in that case, meaning me. We, often, have a discrepancy in the value of the word, we. Whether it be plural or singular? Apparently I tend to use it falsely in the plural, when he denies any part of that plural tense. But in defense of myself, I have sold or given away a lot of things that I treasured, and much more will be looked at again with purposeful eyes. Well, after I get myself into the optometrist, that is. On my last set of contact lens, and with glasses I rarely wear that are at least 12 years old and I can only focus with them on printed word, when I have my head thrust  into a position that would possibly make one think I was a contortionist...so if I don't make any progress for a few weeks, that will be my excuse. Can't see. But, after a few glances around, I am already letting some of my best stuff go. It will be shown on some of the links below for host sites we have joined. There 'we' go again, that  we would be me. Not the masculine part of the plural we. Yegads. When did language get so confusing?
 
I am working at the Gundrum Mercantile restoration. Not a 40 hour week, like many of you put in. I have been hand rub staining and finishing the wood trim, and all the doors for this magnificent old  1872 building. And this week will be working on the tile floors. Beautiful tile, Ron has some rooms down and grouted, it is my job to clean the  remaining grout off the tile now. Not merely a smooth surface, these are those tiles you would only dream of having (me anyway..) and the grout imbeds itself into these different layers that are making up this beautiful tiled floor. The owner, niece Pam, did ONE tile herself, with a dental tool !!!!!!!! Now I ask you, how long will that take????
So I was off to HomeDepot early this morning to find more suitable working tools for the job, and to get more cement. The way I see it, the only possible way for me to achieve this cleaning of the tiles, is to lay flat on my belly, avoiding knee and sagging bust line imprints, along with toe tracks. Hum. I may get fired before I get too far. On the other hand, it is either me or her. So I am sure, she will opt for ME. I will keep you posted on how it goes. I know. You wait ..for that.
 
April 1, along with its nonspring type weather, and my grumblings, brings new releases of the host sites we (did you catch that?) belong to. Listed below at the bottom, please check them out when you get a chance. I will be selling my own collections. Many of these things are very olde, attic finish, true and right. Some are pricey, but not for what they are... these things are hard to find.
 
I am planning an open house for sometime in May to show off the farmhouse. I don't know the date yet. Haven't gotten it firmed up in my mind. I do know I would like the snow to be gone!!  So that's why I am holding off a while to see how weather goes. I redid the front porch last week on one of the better days, and replaced the cedar boughs and winter items with terra cotta pots, vintage hand garden tools etc. Washed the windows, which of course, promptly had snow squalls immediately afterward, so that was to no avail. With snow banks still bordering the porch, it doesn't have quite the look I was going for..but spring will come. Probably not in my time frame, but it HAS to come, right? I am NOT taking my snow tires off until mid May however.  Have I mentioned lately winter is my least favorite month. Perhaps I may have.... ALL  6 of them!
 
Well, I am cleaning the coffee pot this afternoon, and it is time to run another carafe of water thru it. Always planning to set a day a month, with plans of it being the SAME day each month, to clean the coffee pot I always forget about it until the coffee just trickles slowwwwwlllllyyy thru, which it has been doing. How many weeks overdue am I? So best go get that finished so I can have a fresh pot ready for Ron when he gets home.
 
As always, thanks for asking to be a part of our farm and my life. Should you not care to be, merely reply with remove and it will be done.
in fond regard, Tilda
wild hair
out of control frown lines
waiting impatiently for pussy willows
www.highbuttonshoe.net   will update the website in the next several days!!
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