Success

Today turned out great. The bake sale was a rousing success, due to help from many people. My invitation for people to bake things brought out fantastic yummies from all corners of the park. Three tables were filled maximally with displayed goodies, while three others were packed with extras to put out as the first ones sold.

People bought, tables were restocked by a team of very capable merchandisers, and we wound up making $419 -- most ever.

I left our sale at 10, and got to the church on time...for the fashion show run-through. It began with lunch at 11:30. Quiches made by some of us, salads, and cake paired with tea, lemonade, punch, and water to fully energize us to walk the walk in our Dress Barn fashions.

Each of us had two outfits and, not only did we have a blast, the ladies in attendance loved the show. Everyone is already saying that they want to do it again next year. I'm all for that, but I do hope it's not on the same day as the Entertainers' Bake Sale!

Location : 7451 S 5th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85710,

Bake bake baking

Today reminded me of when I had Blackberry Hill Dessert Company. I made 4 different recipes, doubles of 3 of them, packaged all the things, labeled them, and kept the kitchen clean the whole time. I also helped Jack in making another recipe and sliced and packed his zucchini bread. I did Candied Cinnamon Pecans, Krave 'Ems, Date-Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers, and Peanutty Peanut Butter Brownies.

This is for the bake sale tomorrow to support our entertainers group. It is supposed to rain and be cold, but oh well. Anything of ours that doesn't sell we can take to church for coffee hour.

Location : E Centrepark Dr, Tucson, AZ 85710,

Good day

This was a good day. Jack and I went to a discussion on gun control at church this evening. The discussion was intelligent and sane. I think we all agreed that controls on assault weapons, or an all-out ban, would be reasonable. We agreed that people need to be responsible for keeping their own guns secure, and that there needs to be more teaching of morality --though school is not the place.

Location : E Centrepark Dr, Tucson, AZ 85710,

Putting up siding

That's what Jack and I did for several hours today. I've discovered that I have a low tolerance for Jack's impatience, throwing things, and sarcasm. Oh, and my being told to get out of the way, when I'm just trying to help also tends to drive me crazy. I guess I can't hope to change him, but in trying to just put up with such behavior, I feel trampled. /rant

Location : Maricopa, Tucson, AZ 85710,

Love is God

This day began for me early. I got up before 6 to compile the things I'd be reading as Lay Leader in church today. This was a day about humor, joy, and fun, so it was right up my alley. :D

After church, it was lunch and just chill time. I did the Sunday puzzles from the paper, played my tin whistle, and did my dishes (whoopee). At 4, Jack and I left for Jan and Dick's Super Bowl party. We had a grand time!

So here's a question: If you run out of anything before you do dishes, what would it be? For me, it's bowls and/or spoons.

And here's another: If God is Love, can it also be said that Love is God? I believe that these are two really different statements, but that both are true, at least in my reality. The first, that God is Love, seems to be a way to personalize, humanize, and soften the idea of God to people who already acknowledge the concept of God.

To me, though, it's much more powerful to say "Love is God." This gets right to the root of the question, "Is there a God?" or "Do you believe in God?" I don't think anyone would say that they don't believe in Love -- like a Love that's sort of bigger than we are, a force that's beyond our control or understanding. Well, so let's just say that Love IS God. And there we are.

Personifying the idea of God is something people do a lot. Who can say that they don't believe in Mother Nature, Father Time, the Hand of Fate, Santa Claus, Lady Luck.... or Love? All of these are just personifications of ideas that we all share. So just call it God.

Is God more than that? Does God need to be more than Love? I don't personally need a God who's going to toss me into a fiery pit, or decide that I'm ok to be with lyre-playing angels sitting on clouds. I'm good with the idea of evolution and the Big Bang Theory, and I don't need a divine explanation for that. But, if, by saying I believe in Love, I can then say that I believe in God, this simplifies a lot of things for me.

Ceiling Joists Up

Laundry done, electrical stuff for shed purchased, dinner at Chuy's ...and tonight I fall into bed exhausted. At 8:45. LoL!

I would surely never have dreamed that dance-till-the-bars-closed-down Janee would be crashing into bed before 9...  on a Saturday night, no less.

Location : Maricopa, Tucson, AZ 85710,

More Building

We got the walls erected today, and put in 3 of the ceiling joists. It doesn't sound like much, but we worked hard on it all day.

Just now I was playing with some art, trying still to recreate that piece I did a few days ago. I ended up with another variation, which I like even better, I think!
 

 

This time, I've carefully labeled my layers and saved the layered file! Of course, it can't be recreated exactly, which is part of the beauty of this sort of art. No one else can do your art. Or mine, for that matter. :P



Walls

Today Jack and I got the walls of his shed built. They are not entirely vertical yet, but that will come. The excitement came when we had to figure out the length of the sloping roof support piece. It is the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose base measures 107" and whose height is 10". The answer surprised us!

Other than a committee meeting for me and an errand for Jack while I did my newspaper puzzles, we built most of the day.

I also spent some time trying to recreate a piece of art I did a few days ago. I learned a lesson I used to teach my students: label your layers with what you did to them. And...SAVE your work with labeled layers. <eyeroll> Can't believe I needed a refresher on that.

Location : Maricopa, Tucson, AZ 85710,

Life Hacks

I just got this list from a Facebook friend. There's some really neat stuff in here! http://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/

Today Jack and I worked together to get his foundation and floor done for his new shed! Woo hoo! It's underway. Aside from a break for lunch, that's all we did after our exercising (Wii Zumba and Greg's Strength class).

The day is lovely and sunny, but still too cold for my tastes. It didn't keep the regulars out of the pool, however!

Last evening, I went to try on clothes for my church's fashion show. She looked at me and said, "Are you about a 10?" I said, "Golly, I hope not!" It turns out that she's just a bad judge of sizes. Or maybe I just look like a FAT size 4?? LOL I don't know, but I do know that I fit great into the size 4's. Everyone else has cuter stuff than I do for the show, but.. oh well. I suppose that people do buy things like navy blue pants suits.

Wood has arrived

Yes! The wood came this morning for the construction of Jack's new storage shed. It will be 12x10 and will house his tools, Christmas decor, bikes, and anything else he sees fit to put in there. We worked at moving all the wood back out of the street, where it was delivered, onto his driveway, beyond where he parks his car. I'm very hopeful that this is not a very long project. I want to get his stuff out of my 2nd shed, get that torn down, get a new one built for me, and move my things into it. That new shed of mine will serve to store a few things of mine and will also serve as a tiny guest quarters.

Once we get the sheds done, we will be set to start landscaping our backyards. :) Always fun projects to do here!

Today we're experiencing a little return to winter, with some below-average temps and a stiff breeze. The sun is out, though, and it is warm, offering a promise of spring returning soon.

I got my logo work done, or mostly done, today. The thing that most people don't understand about graphic design work is that most of the real *work* is just trying to figure out what the client wants in the art, and then what sort of file format they need. Emails back and forth are the most time-consuming thing.

I played with some more art today, making this:

And it was fun! Only fun! :) I did it with layers of Gradients in Difference Mode, these Layers put into different Blending Modes, and then a filter applied to the result. Zow, I think this is pretty.