Saturday, September 5, 2015

Laboring on Labor Day Weekend.......

Just to set the record straight from the start, I am 51 years old so there is no laboring of the baby sort this weekend, but there is lots of other laboring here at my house. I just might be happy when the weekend is done and I can get back to real work!


While I would love to be starting this baby blanket.  I am pressure washing instead.  I am not sure the exact pattern I am using on this yet, I am still scouting for the perfect ripple pattern.


Meet Pete my Pressure Washer.  He is a work horse.  We spent all last weekend together on the driveway and front walk, and now we are on our third day together working on my pavers near the pool.  This has been a brutal summer here for mold, in fact I am now mold obsessed, I see it everywhere.


While I would love to be working on this tunic top, Simplicity 1080.  I am fixing a hole in the knees of my favorite jeans.  I wear jeans to work all the time and since I am on my knees a lot on the floor you can only imagine how many pairs of them I ruin.   When Claudia was visiting we were on the hunt for this pattern.  She wanted to make the tunic, we only found one at a Joann's that is not that close to me.  My own Joann's didn't have even one.  I found this pattern way down in St. Petersburg on my way home from work one day.  I am glad I had a coupon with me, this baby cost $17 at the regular price!  I think the tunic would be very fun to wear.


I know my fix is not that lovely but it will do.


While I should be working on a progress note for a little one I work with, the pressure washing has been a priority.  Once you start it is hard to stop because you just want to get it done.  And of course it leads to cleaning the outdoor furniture, and the windows,and so on........ it never seems to end.


This sweet boy of mine did not nap for two days.  He was so tired last night his eyes were all droopy at dinner.  This morning I opened the blinds in his room, and even started talking away to him, yet he was still far away dreaming.  He is the cutest!

Hope you are finding some time to relax this weekend.  I am going to do that tomorrow!

34 comments:

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Your little one is growing, looks so very sweet (don't they all) when sleeping. Big job with the power washers. Deep breath.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I slept in today but then I've been busy Laboring all day around my house. I think it will take the whole long weekend to get all that I want done. Love to see Little Buddy sleeping...so sweet.
hugs,
Linda

kristieinbc said...

Pressure washing sounds a lot like weeding to me. A dreaded job you don't look forward to, but once you start it's hard to stop. I just bought the same pattern and plan to make it for myself in a few weeks when I get back from Ireland. What kind of fabric did you get for it? I'm wondering if some cotton from the quilting store would work. Or maybe some flannel. ??

That sweet boy is the most huggable child I have ever seen. :-)

Neighborhood Watch said...

My oldest son came over early this summer and pressure washed the house and back driveway. Because it was a rented machine, we had to take it back the next day which was sort of okay because I know exactly what you mean about carrying on washing every little thing! Much of the back driveway isn't really totally finished. Oh well.
Love your sweater in the last post!

mamasmercantile said...

Quite a task, I am like that with the windows once I have done one I have to have them all done. They need doing now, maybe later... A great pattern for the tunic and beautiful yarn, there are a lot of gorgeous ripple blanket patterns about its hard to choose. As always Little Buddy made me smile.

Teresa Kasner said...

Wow, you are such a hard worker doing all that pressure washing! I changed the tablecloth and arranged a bunch of Sunflowers in an old glass pickle gallon jar, put some crocheted and velvet pumpkins at it's base and thought I was doing a lot. LOL! I finished a book last night that Gracie recommended and started The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. And printed up 75 tickets for the event reception on Wed, and cut all all of them out by hand. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Grandmabeckyl.blogspot said...

What a lot of work to get all that mold out of the way. I stayed inside today. But a necessary job. I labored making cookies then helped my daughter make dinner. Then I baked the cookies after dinner. Kind husband washed dishes that weren't able to go into dishwasher. Now I need to labor and fold two baskets Nice pattern. I've not bought a pattern in years. I got rid of some awhile ago. $17 sounds expensive for a pattern. Have a good weekend.

Gracie Saylor said...

The closest I came to working today was making my bed, peeling and chopping five cucumbers, four onions and two squash...oh and I trimmed a rose vine and a bushy thing, too. :) I am much more impressed with your laboring, and your stitching dreams and your sweet sleeping little boy, Meredith! Happy Labor Day to you and yours! xx

Jo@awholeplotoflove said...

I love that you've named your pressure washer Pete! Your job sounds extremely full on, it must be wonderful to sit down & craft for a bit of me time. I've debated if I should buy that dress pattern I need to make a different dress first & then I shall decide. Aww little buddy looks so sweet when he is fast asleep. Take care xx

Anonymous said...

We are fighting the mold monster here this summer too.


Awwwwwwwwwwww....I remember those days when Stephen slept so hard. Little Buddy is adorable in his pjs.

Janet said...

I love that Dottie Angel sewing pattern. I'm seriously tempted to get it myself. It looks like it would be very comfortable to wear.
I hope you find time to relax over the weekend. Little Buddy looks so cute, the pictures of him are so uplifting, you can't help but smile.
Best wishes to you all, Janet x

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Well, I do hope you get some down time today. I'm up most days by 5 am so by 8 something, my eyes are getting droopy. Even over the weekend, I was in bed by 9:45 p.m. My son thinks I'm crazy. But when you are tired, better not to fight it. Sleep is a wonderful thing. Bless Little B and all of you.

CJ said...

I hope you get all those pesky chores out the way soon and find some blanket making time. Lots of similar stuff to be done here, I think I'll be tackling the garage this afternoon. I got a hole in my favourite jeans when I fell over last week, so they need mending as well. Nice that you can wear jeans to work though. Enjoy the rest fo your long weekend Meredith. CJ xx

Bridget said...

The good thing about long weekends is that, even if you have to get some work done, there is usually a day to actually relax!

Hope you enjoy your well-earned day off!

Stins said...

Little buddy is such a sweety....
You did a nice job with you clean machine, what a lot of work!
Have a great day off :-)
Love from Mirjam.

steph said...

I got lucky finding that pattern at my local walmart (of all places!!! I NEVER go there!) but haven't started it yet. And that pile of baby blanket yarn looks like several of my unstarted wish-list piles. BUT....you are going to a have a spiffed up house as a result of setting aside your wanna do pile. Me? I'm playing ostrich and burying my head in the sand. We're in the middle of starting a big (for us) renovation/construction project and the back yard is a TOTAL DISASTER and I've been walking around in circles trying to make this construction mess less....well, messy. I'm failing. :( Maybe I should just start that tunic!

Caffeine Girl said...

I should really get a power washer. We live in a super-shady neighborhood and the trees drop all kinds of things on our house.
I absolutely adore that tunic pattern. Maybe I will have to think about sewing again! And, yes, isn't the price of patterns amazing -- and not in a good way? I don't want to discount the value of creativity and design, but $17 is a lot when you have to do the labor yourself!

ellen said...

You are a busy lizzie and put me to shame. I disemboweled my vacuum cleaner. The surgery was a bust and my vacuum is still in a coma. Sigh. I could scatter seeds in the carpet and with a little spritz, I'd have a garden.
I can't believe how expensive patterns are now. What happened to the days when they were under a dollar?
Your little one, as always, looks so peaceful and adorable sleeping.
Wishing you a lovely rest of this long weekend and may you have many moments of relaxation and time to do some fun sewing.

mynestofyarnandbuttons said...

Hello there sweet Meredith! you are always a busy bee, someone once told me that's what keeps us young.....I don't know about that!!! I love that jumper pattern, I think it will be so much fun to make and wear (with leggings), maybe! LB looks so content in dreamland, love that little guy of yours.
Hope you can have a relaxing day tomorrow.
xoxoRobin

handmade by amalia said...

I can so relate! Why do housework and chores and errands get in the way of honest crafting?
Amalia
xo

Amy at love made my home said...

I hope that you are making sure that you have some relaxing time. You most certainly deserve it!!!! xx

kathy b said...

jeans to work! Love it.
Tell Lil Buddy please, that Fireman absolutely have to take naps at the fire station.

Jennifer Hays said...

Gosh, you're a hard worker! You're getting so much accomplished this weekend. I think you've earned a nap of your own. :)

Chris said...

Holy patterns have sure gone up in price! It's a great pattern and will look good on you. I see some modern Cotton in your basket, that's a nice yarn and feels so nice worked up. Lots of labour here this weekend, dealing with the veggies and the tomatoes will be morphed into BBQ sauce....hopefully. I think I have reached new levels of sticky in my kitchen. I could prob use your pressure washer to hose down both my kitchen and myself!! Your little boy is so adorable!! They always look like perfect angels when they are sleeping!

wenhkc said...

Footsie pj's...too cute!

Jo said...

Sunday night - catch up with Meredith! We were away last Sunday so I missed your cardigan, it is really nice, a different shape. Sometimes you have to so the jobs so that you can relax on the personal projects otherwise you will be rushing sewing and that leads to lots of unpicking. M y Girls go back to school from the Summer break on Tuesday and I am looking forward to a new routine for a while. Jo x

Babajeza said...

Enjoy your day off! I'm happy to have jour de travial tomorrow. You know, my homestay mom hasn't cleaned in five weeks. And she is one happy woman. :-) We might take her as an example? Hahaha. Hugs, Regula

Betsy said...

Love your last picture. He looks like an angel. We all know that at that age, looks can be deceiving at times, right? I have a love/hate thing with our pressure washer. We just bought it at Sears two years ago and I have never been able to start the darn thing. Last week Dennis tried to start it to wash the smoke and ash off of the deck and HE couldn't start it either. It's a Craftsman and we've always liked them, but I do not like this pressure washer. I think it will be going on Craigs List soon.
The tunic is really cute. I need to make myself some new dresses sometime but I have no energy for it. Even though I don't like pants/jeans, I'm wearing a pair this afternoon because it's so cold and rainy. Yay! Rain. Hopefully the fires will be out soon.
Have a lovely Sunday afternoon Meredith.
Blessings,
Betsy

Pammy Sue said...

Oh my gosh, I absolutely love that tunic pattern! Totally cute and something I would wear this winter with leggings and boots. I can't wait to see yours.

Mrs. Micawber said...

This almost makes me glad our driveway is gravel....

What an adorable tunic! And the jeans fix looks just right to me. Much better than those awful iron-on patches they used to use when I was younger. I always keep old jeans around to use for patching new ones - the fabric is nice and soft.

LB is as adorable asleep as he is awake.

:)

Vicki Boster said...

Meredith-- that's some beautiful yarn you have set aside for the baby blanket! It looks soft too...I really hate it when I'm wanting to knit but in reality I need to do chores:(

Oh Meridith he just keeps getting cuter and cuter!! They always look
So precious when they are sleeping!!

Love
Vicki

Judy S. said...

Good work on the jeans! Now they look like those stylish really, really expensive ones. Wow, I remember when you could save money sewing; that is one costly pattern, but I bet it'll look great on you. Cute photo of LB!! Take it easy tomorrow and enjoy a day of a bit of rest!

Toni said...

Awwwww, he is SO adorable!!!!

Oh my goodness--sounds indeed like a busy weekend! Hope you get a little "me" time to spend with something fibery. :)

gaia said...

Hi Meredith,
The yarn looks yummy and I think a ripple would be great! Great job on the jeans too...
He is soo adorable sleeping...
Best wishes,
Gaia.