The Impact of Years of Disorganization on a Pegboard

Because much of what I owned in the way of tools was in a state of chaos for many years it was often simpler to purchase a new tool than find the one I knew I had somewhere at the bottom of a random stack.  For the past year I have been attacking the chaos that resulted from a lack of order.  My immediate living areas, the living room, the bedroom/studio, the kitchen, were the first places I applied my resolve to maintain order.  At least on the surface, with the doors and drawers closed they all began to look much better and be more functional.  There were still some major areas remaining but step by step I pushed back the barriers of chaos.  My yard and my work room, an area off my bedroom that held the status of a covered, elevated deck when I moved in, were the final frontiers.  The front yard had the help of my crew of grandchildren who weed and mow and water.  The backyard more resembled a battle field, especially as I began to build a chicken run and coop.  My workroom continued to be a sink of chaos with a nasty semi-shag rug that caught and retained every speck of sawdust generated by my several motorized saws.  Then I returned from a lovely cruise to Alaska, a gift from my daughter Nancy and she made the relatively simple request that instead of a stained glass creation I give her something made of fused glass.  For the past two months I have labored to bring order to the work room as a setting for the fusing kiln I purchased in order to fulfill Nancy's request.  Sheet vinyl was laid over the rug once it had been thoroughly vacuumed.  The thousands of screws and pieces of hardware were sorted and stored in various bins.  I sorted through the odd pieces of lumber I have saved from various projects and converted a maple desk I got for 15 dollars at DI into drawers for bits of useful wood.  This past few days I have been re-positioning the peg board panel over my work bench and installing a long shelf to hold collections of various bits that fit my drill and router such as Forstner bits, hole-drilling bits, router bits, hex based drill bits, etc.  The first try with the shelf collapsed but I added a chain for support and a lot of silicone to hold the screws.  The pegboard is so laden with assorted tools that I must add reinforcement to the interface between the plastic pegboard and the strips of wood that support it 3/4" from the brick wall.  The piles of random parts are diminishing.  I have added a nightly sweep of the work room floor to my evening cleanup ritual. 

Sleep

On Sunday night my mind was churning and I gave into the habit of late night, in this case early morning, resort to internet connection.  Last night was a whole different situation.  Instead of dressing in night clothes and stripping my bed of covering ex
except for sheets and pillow, I took a 'nap' that lasted through the night until a quarter of an hour before my alarm was scheduled to go off.  As far as I remember I didn't even wake up to use the bathroom.  I wish I could sleep as soundly every night, but in my night clothes with my bed properly stripped.

Challenge

Today I did a video chat with a potential client for a mural.  It is a challenging proposition that involves making a map of the world in a very lofty area in a home office.  I believe I did a good job of setting up for the conference.  Because I am old, my face has pits and hollows that can make me look quite skeletal in overhead light.  I lit myself with a warm glow from the right and a cool glow from the left, giving my features definition while avoiding deep shadows everywhere but in the hollow under my chin.  I chose the navy curtains and beach scene in my studio as my backdrop and set the laptop even with my upper body.  I created a new page of recent work and added it to my art page on the web just before the video conference began.  I put on light makeup, a melon colored blouse that would cast warm overtones upward on my face and silvery earrings that are large enough to make a statement without being overdone.  The angle of the camera mostly obscured the canyon of shadow under my chin. I proposed that the client ask other artists to develop a concept presentation that he can consider in making his final choice.  He seemed happy with the price my offer amounted to.  I will definitely need the help of my grandchildren to carry out this task if my idea for the mural is selected. 

Projects and Objects

I have several projects either active or on hold.  I began a chicken coop and chicken run several years ago and over time the specifications have changed.  At present the run is essentially finished and the coop is functional but still requires some finishing touches for the sake of appearance. 
I have been slowly working on a stained glass panel of the burial of Job Welling jr. There is about 1/4 left to do although the major elements are finished.
I have been renovating and organizing my work room with the aim of using it as a site for fusing glass.  This has been my most active pursuit and could be finished by the end of the coming week.
I have a commitment to make small copies of the Golden Plates for each of my grandchildren when they are baptized.  Sela Mau Mau will be baptized at the end of the week and I need to make a copy for her. 
I am grateful for various pursuits to keep me engaged.

Cherries

Cherries are in season and the price has dropped to a level I find tempting.  I like a number of kinds of fruit including pears and cantaloupe.  However I am able to resist most fruit except for cherries when the price drops.  I purchased cherries on Friday morning when I stopped at Sprouts to purchase food for my day with Rudy.  Bing cherries were on sale for $1.48 a pound which was far better than the going price for strawberries.  It turned out that Rudy loves cherries.  So even though I exceeded my carbohydrates for the day, I was able to use cherries to bring him back from his run. 

Night Thoughts

I have tried to avoid using my electronics in the middle of the night but last night I woke up and had a churning mind.  I finally turned on my Kindle and listened to several chapters of Acts, finally seeing Paul in the custody of Festus about to be left to the custody of another Roman ruler.  I kept elaborating on the idea of putting drawers for small wood pieces in the bottom of my lab table.  I made a three compartment box of furniture grade plywood pieces I had laying around and it turned out well enough.  Drawer glides were one of the things I had accumulated.  But making drawers can be fiddly.  I went up to Salt Lake to visit with my grandson Rudy and the idea of visiting a Deseret Industry store and seeing if they had a chest of drawers that were not utterly beyond my means of either carrying in my car or purchasing became a pressing issue.  I took Hannah and Rudy with me to the Sugarhouse DI and found a maple desk.  Although built of solid wood, it had been through several generations of hard use and the edges of the drawers were damaged.  It was only $15 and would fit in the back of my car.  So this evening I am grateful for the night thoughts that led me to the purchase.  I haven't had a chance to rest today so I will probably sleep soundly.

Alarms and Habits

I decided to break the habit of waking up in the middle of the night and browsing on either my phone or Kindle.  On Tuesday night I fought my way through the temptation to ease the minor misery of a hot night by browsing.  On Wednesday night I set my alarm but somehow slept through it.  I resisted the temptation to peek at the Kindle until verifiable daylight proved I'd overslept, however it turned out for the best since by being later than usual I was able to offer significant help to two women in the sealing session I attended.

Creating and Socializing

I had a good, productive and friendly day.  I made a wooden box divided into three sections to hold my various wooden sticks.  I nearly finished organizing my glass and wood.  I visited Marge Lewis at the nursing home as I helped Roxana Canazaca.  I made cheeseburgers for several members of my extended family at Nancy's house while we waited for the 24th of July Fireworks at Liberty Park to begin and I drove safely on the round trip from Provo to Salt Lake.  I also resisted a habit of waking and consulting electronics in the middle of the night.

Measure Twice

After attending the temple this morning I rested then worked on my work shop.  I secured the last part of the vinyl sheet flooring and cut one last piece of tile to go along the sliding glass door threshold.  I effected the changes in layout I decided on after ordering a new set of sturdier metal drawers to replace the plastic craft cart I got from Jacqueline which will not likely stand up to the stress of storing all my fasteners.  The last business of the day involved designing a box for short lengths of wood of various kinds that are currently stored in two buckets and a small trash can.  I found a nice selection of plywood lengths that I trimmed and cut to fit into a compact box about 17" tall by 2' long by about a foot wide.  I did not attempt to make the box this evening but I feel good about the cuts and the ease of cleaning up the sawdust from my table saw from the new flooring.  It makes a major difference from the rug which would have involved using a vacuum.  After the wood box is assembled I will mount it on casters so it can be moved easily although I plan to store it at the end of the lab table near the work bench. 

Habits and Ruses

Today I 'treated' myself to a forbidden substance, namely Haagen Daz chocolate, vanilla, almond ice cream bars, and not only that, I purchased cherries.  Both of these substances are things that I crave and which are off the list of approved foods on my Way of Eating.  I bought the ice cream bars because they met the criteria I gave myself that they should cost under $4.00 and they were on sale for just a penny less than that and I had waited for more than 45 minutes at the courthouse for a trial that had been dismissed.  I bought the cherries because I was disappointed of finding something for my work shop at DI, even though I had already scored several really good finds earlier in the month.  The ruses I used to disrupt a fairly consistent pattern of following my WOE were pretty obvious.  I had just finished listening to a really good book called 'Atomic Habits' which actually described much of what I have done in the past year to bring order to my home and a much better physical state to my body.  I have given up playing video games and begun to get more exercise by developing habits such as parking some distance from the entrance to the temple and climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator. 

Update on Tammy

I fasted for Tammy Peterson when I learned that she was ill.  I have learned that she had kidney cancer.

Ideals and Compromises

I am frequently required to compromise my vision of how things should be.  On the other hand, there are often times when something better turns up than I had planned for or visualized.  Therefore my plans for how I would set up my workroom to accommodate a fusing kiln were made with some vagueness in the eventual realization  I couldn't have foreseen the fortuitous finds I made of various storage options at Deseret Industries.  The option I took of using four small roles of economy sheet vinyl and covering over the rug instead of tearing it up turned out better than I had anticipated.  It was my daughter, Lucinda, who spent several years installing flooring in various situations as a student/employee at BYU who gave me the advice to keep the rug in place.  Most of the essential work is done.  The ceiling over the kiln area is the major task that remains.  I also need to re-position the peg-board over the work bench and install a long shelf with a piece of shelving hardware I found while going through the many items stuffed away for later use.  I have spent a lot of money on the project, but chiefly on supplies for the adventure in fusing I will begin when all is ready. 

Conveniences

I bought a pedestal fan today on my way back from visiting with Rudy in Salt Lake.  It only cost a few dollars more than a box fan but I don't have to find a place to set it and there's not the same worry that it will capsize. 

Functionality

I have been making my workroom more functional.  Today both Calvin and Adam and Jacqueline and Diana  participated in helping this project.  After I returned from the temple I drove first to Arby's where I gave the boys a meal, and then to the transfer station where they emptied my car of the various debris of wood bits and no longer functional paint cans that I had gathered up while organizing the storage and preparing to lay sheet vinyl over the old carpeting.  After dropping off the boys I picked up the girls and they helped clear and organize the last quadrant of the floor in preparation for the vinyl.  They also helped me measure and cut the piece that is last except for a small corner.  Both of them expressed gratification for being employed to help me with the task.  Although there is still a great deal of arranging to do, the greater functionality is already apparent.  The vinyl flooring should make it easier to keep the area clean. 

Sam & Fam

I spent several hours at Lucinda's house today as Sam and his family visited.  They arrived at Nancy's house late Monday night and visited with other family members in Salt Lake on Tuesday before coming to my house for a family party that evening.  They added a quick visit to Utah to a weekend AGM in Dallas.  Reese was able to attend the Provo City Center Temple today.  They plan to visit the Dinosaur Quarry on their way east.

Family

I gave birth to ten children who in turn provided me with 34 grandchildren and 2 great grand children.  This my three sons and representatives of all but two of my daughters met for food and friendly conversation in my home.  I am grateful for my family above all things on this earth. 

Advice

Today Jacqueline turned 14 years old.  I gave her a package containing products I purchased but had not yet used, including a complexion brush, a bar of Olay facial soap, a container of 24 hour lip color and a pack of tools for zits as well as a nail clipper and a set of tweezers.  I added a 5 dollar bill for additional supplies she might need as well as a small booklet I wrote about proper care of the face.  I later gave her two small containers of denatured alcohol and apricot oil.  She has been interested in such things lately and had asked me about skin care.

Sela

Today I drove up to South Jordan in Salt Lake Valley to deliver a birthday gift to Sela and spend a few hours visiting with Mary Jane and her children.  Sela and her sister Heta look as if they were twins although seventeen months separated their births.  Both are lovely girls with looks that reflect their Chinese, Tongan, and European heritage.  Heta looks a bit more Chinese and Sela more Tongan.  Their personalities have become more compatible as they have learned to appreciate their differences.  They are part of the joy that bejewels my life.

Finding Wheels

I have purchased a number of wheels in the years I have lived on Maple Lane.  Renovating and cleaning out my workroom has revealed just how many times I went to the store and purchased more.  Fortunately I have a use for a wheel. 

A Holy LIfe

I am often selfish and today I passed by a beggar when I could have stopped and offered to purchase the diapers and formula his sign indicated that his family needed.  On the other hand I spent about eight hours sorting out my grandson's room.  It was an act of love.  Fortunately, after playing hide and seek for several hours he joined me and although he dumped out some of the toys I had sorted, he also played 'marble chase' with me for a long time.  It was a very wearying but lovely way to spend the day. 

Closing in and Opening up

Just as I though I was nearing the finish of my workroom project I realized that there are  more extensive changes that need to be made.  I consulted with Lucinda who is an expert on floor coverings and she said it would be best to lay sheet vinyl over the carpet instead of ripping up the carpet.  The carpet provides a buffer between the vinyl and the wood floor.  Now the question is should I simply get an 18 ' length of vinyl 12' wide and roll it out as a seamless whole.  That is probably the best way to go.  I decided to extend the lowered ceiling to 8 feet and hang a vapor barrier between the end of the workshop where I use the kiln and the end where I use saws and other dust generators.  Covering the carpet should go someways toward conquering the problem of saw dust.

Today Annie became 21 years old

We went to the Provo City Center Temple together and after we performed an endowment session we joined a sealing session and she participated in sealings for the first time in the lovely north sealing room of the Provo City Center Temple.  I got a donut with sprinkles on it for her breakfast.

Toward a working work room

I decided to enlist Jacqueline and Diana in helping me put my work room in good shape.  Today the kiln arrived and Calvin and Adam helped me move it into the house, helped me get rid of a lot of cardboard at the recycling bin and helped me take a load of trash to the transfer station  I bought them lunch at Arby's.  Things are shaping up and the panel organizer I had thought I would need to disassemble and dismiss turned out to fit almost perfectly under the area that I want to be able to open for ventilation.  We moved the various sets of shelves and made major moves toward the eventual setup.  Planning ahead helps a lot.  Having able helpers is a great boon.  I was also able to have a friendly conversation with the conservator and work things out.

D I

D I is the short form for Deseret Industries, the agency of the Church that includes education, charity, and resale of donated items.  I have been refitting my work area to accommodate a kiln.  I want to store my lumber, plumbing items, electrical items and hardware and also the materials incidental to glass fusing.  Today my visit to DI produced three storage items, each costing $10.  One was a set of shallow metal shelves that I had failed to find at a reasonable price on the internet where 'shallow' is either fancy bamboo or plastic or at least 12" deep. I found two matching sets of wire drawers that are varied in depth and which I intend to use both for hardware and for glass fusing equipment and material.  The difference between the $300 I would have spent to purchase the sets of drawers more than compensates for the steel table I ordered.  My other project which was timely was planting perennials in the planters along my fence.  At this point they look rather nice.

being there

I was not at Mindy's birth because I was in Alaska and I wasn't at her blessing today because signals got crossed, but I was there to hold her while she fell asleep this afternoon. 

Reciprocity

My relationship with my grandchildren varies based on a number of factors.  I love it when there is a degree of reciprocity.  This evening I gave Jacqueline a bar of oatmeal soap and I bandaged a sore for Lelia.  Not much later they helped me clean off my porch by sweeping the concrete and beating the rug. 

Marble

Today I was preparing to go up to Salt Lake and help with Rudy but I got a call that Tisha didn't have to go to work.  I shifted my attention to a project I have been working on, putting in a heat resistant floor and creating a space for the kiln I expect to install when it arrives.  I went to Lowes in search of a threshold and ended up purchasing some tile that would not require cutting.  On the other hand I cut a larger tile to make the threshold.  Today I put up cement board on the wall, fortunately finding that the top rung of my ladder stool was just high enough to act as a support.  One of the marble tiles cracked, but fortunately it was in a spot that won't be as critical.  The job of laying marble is complete.

Fourth of July

Today we met at noon at Lucinda's home for a barbeque.  The fourth of July is the conventional day to celebrate our country's founding and involves family, fireworks and patriotic speeches.  Today was also the first birthday of James Delong Hancock, tenth child and sixth child of Jared and Lucinda.  He is a delightful child and has been walking for the past few weeks.  I came home with my second son Richard who was permanently crippled due to activities initiated by Obama's deep state.  He was getting the look on his face that betrays that he has been sitting too long.  This evening I watched a replay of President Trump's presentation at the Lincoln Memorial and found it very appropriate.  It stands in stark contrast to the pious performances of the left side of the political spectrum who started the day with a flag burning near the white house and objected loudly and long to the expansion of the usual Fourth of July celebration in D.C. 

Independence

I like to think I'm fairly independent, but the failure of my husband's conservator to pay my spousal support this month reveals how dependent I really am.  Fortunately this is unlikely to be a permanent situation.  Perhaps the way my oldest daughter rattled the foundation of the current situation so that it is being returned to court has something to do with the arrears.  Fortunately I am not in debt and have sufficient funds even for the sudden hobby of fusing glass.  I guess that my feeling of being relatively independent is therefore somewhat justified. 

Kiln corner

For several years I had a small metal clay kiln I never used.  Now I in the thick of converting a corner of my workshop into a fire resistant home for the small kiln and a somewhat larger one that will allow me to make fused glass.  Much of the material I plan to use for this conversion was already stored in my workroom or will be repurposed.  I look forward to creating works of art in fused glass.

Champions

This past weekend one of my grandsons won a chest full of medals and a trophy for weightlifting.  His brother also participated in the national event but came up short of winning a medal, although he set state records for his weight/age group.  I employ the boys to help me with tasks around my yard.  Lately they have been building the covered run for my chicken coop.  I took them to the store this morning and they lifted heavy cement panels and rolls of steel wire.  I am confident they won't be hurt but lifting heavy weights because they are champions.