Thursday, February 24, 2011

Getting It All Together and I'm a Tattletale

Since I'm on vacation this week, you might think I'd have a post for every day of the week.  Not much of interest has been going on here, so I don't have much to say.  Just tattling to do, which comes as no surprise to my family.

We have rearranged 2 rooms this week.  The big reveal will be tomorrow.  But one of the things that we are no longer using is this cute little bench.  It's pretty silly, really.  But everyone used to make one in the middle school where I teach.  Back when wood shop was still a class. Sad that we don't offer that anymore.   I found this in my closet when I first started teaching and we've used it for a variety of things here at home.  During the rearranging this week, we decided we don't need it right now.  So it's sitting on the floor in front of my closet.  And it's really useful, as you can see!

I can sit on it and reach my tank tops and sports bras here, without having to kneel down in front of them.

And then I can stand on it and reach my jeans and sweatshirts a little better here.  It makes me laugh because it's like a difference of 4 inches, but it's a lift!

While we're on the subject of my lack of height, here's what else I did this week.  I bought some jeans that I knew were way too long (because the tag said TALL) but they were the only pair and a real steal.  I knew I had seen a great website for hemming jeans, so I wanted to try it out.  And it worked nicely.  The point is that when you do the hem, you get to keep the factory hem on there, so no one knows you've hemmed them.  Try as I may, when I hem jeans, I can never get that professional look on the hem and they always look like I had to hem them.  Not anymore.  HA HA.  I WIN!  

Here's the link to the website that enlightened me.   I can certainly hem pants, but this was one of those AH HA moments, when I wondered why I never tried it like this before.  Since these jeans were like 5 inches too long, I didn't do it exactly as she did on the site because that would have made them fold up too much inside themselves.  So, I cut off the bottom, sewed it to where I wanted it on the jeans, trimmed off some of the excess and then serged the inside.  And the most amazing part is that stitching on the side seams to keep the inside folded up.  That's the DUH moment.  INGENIOUS!  

This technique will not work on fancy pants or even khakis.  It works well on jeans because of the thickness of the hem.  It hides what you do.  And my advice is to make sure you line up those side seams when you do the new hem.  I did not, but unless someone is crawling at my feet, they'll never know.

As far the tattling goes.  I've lived on this street for all of my life.  I'm pretty possessive of the flora and fauna that I can see from  house.  So, when someone new moves into the neighborhood and thinks they can just rip out things and cause trouble, I go on high alert.  Thankfully, no one has caused a problem, but there have been some changes over time.  I've dealt with them. 

But today began day 2 of this endless chainsaw noise.  Or leaf blower.  Really obnoxious.  All day yesterday.  All day long.  So here they went again this morning.  I never identified the source yesterday, but knew the general area.  It wasn't until k-ster asked me how anyone could have that much brush to cut down that I realized something wasn't right.  And I've been noticing lately that the tree line is different across the street. 

There's a small creek that runs into our yard from across the creek and it's pretty choked up and doesn't flow properly.  No one has been maintaining it.  When I went out to get the paper this morning, I decided to investigate this noise and realized that it was coming from the creek area.  And I could smell all of the exhaust from my yard.  So I marched right over, in my pajamas, and saw a man in the creek with a blower.  CURSES. 

I came in and debated and finally called conservation to tattle.  They sent natural resources over and you know what?  It stopped!!!  Not a single bit of noise.  No vans or landscape trucks anywhere nearby.  I felt like such a fool.  So, the natural resources guy told me that I could call them back if I hear any more.  And of course, like 15 minutes later, they cranked up the engine again.  I surmised the chainsaw/blower bandit must have needed more gas just as the natural resource guy came by.

They came out in force this time, 2 natural resources trucks.  Only to find that it's mosquito control.  And they are trimming back the vegetation.  And maybe finally doing what they haven't done for decades to keep things flowing.  Oops.

I'm glad it's not a neighbor lest they somehow find out it's me that called and set my house on fire, or something.  I envisioned some city slicker who knows nothing about nature and didn't know about conservation laws.  I thought perhaps he was just cutting down everything and throwing it all into the creek, which would be such a no no.  Such a big no no.  With fines up the wazoo.  Better to err on the side of caution.  And become that neighbor that everyone warns everyone about because she'll tell.  Hey, I behave myself on my land, you behave yourself on yours.  And let all the land between us be as it was meant to be!

Come back tomorrow. I'm hosting Feel Good Friday because thegirl is going on sabbatical.  While she's away, she's giving me the keys to her castle and letting me do the Friday feel goods.  So come on back and share yours tomorrow!!

1 comment:

  1. I just saw that site! I think I ran across it via Stumble -- excellent suggestion! My middle kid always needs her jeans hemmed -- I swear I am trying this over the weekend.

    Thanks for the tip!

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