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Aug 29, 2011

Why I Won't Be Blogging Today



Readers with blogs, do you ever wake up in the morning and find the well has run dry -- you simply have nothing to blog about?

It rarely happens to me, but after more than a week's break, I'm finding it hard to get back into my morning habit.   It seems my blogging muscle has grown flabby, though after a week of hiking, my glutes are tauter than ever.


So I won't be blogging today and I hope you understand.

Plus, I barely did anything sewing-related yesterday.  We waited for Hurricane Irene to arrive, and when she didn't, proceeded to go on a long dog walk to see what damage she hadn't done: basically some clogged sewers (the waste-water type, not the garment-makers-suffering-constipation type), a few deep puddles, and scattered leaves.

Like I mentioned yesterday, Saturday was devoted primarily to straightening up, and I was caught by the decluttering bug once again.  There is still so much to declutter, friends!  One fortunate result is that, having cleaned off the top of my treadle table, which was buried under a pile of vintage patterns and dusty bills, I was able to reconnect with my Singer 66 (up top).  I hadn't been using her because the last time I tried, the summer heat had expanded her belt, and I wasn't in the mood to tighten it.

Yesterday I finally addressed this and it took all of ten minutes.  I opened up the staple that holds the belt closed, cut off roughly one quarter inch, created a new hole for the staple with a screw and, with a pair of pliers, refastened the staple, reattaching the two ends of the belt.  Easy!

She now sews as good as new -- or as good as old I should say.  I may use her to finish "Aunt Hilda,"  which really has to get done this week.



I had been using my Featherweight for this project, but as you may have noticed, the sewing machine table I was sewing atop (the one that came with my Kenmore 158.141), now supports The Big Purchase.



Good grief, I have a lot of sewing machines tables...and quite a few computers too.

The last week before Labor Day in the USA is a good one for finishing old projects and preparing for the new year.  I guess because I spent so many years in school, I still think of September as the start of the year.  Fall feels much more like a fresh beginning than the end of something.

Many of you are probably wondering how we could have taken our dogs out hiking where there were rattlesnakes.



This isn't the first time I have encountered snakes on a hike -- though they weren't actually on the trail this time, they were off canoodling somewhere at a safe distance and we'd never have noticed them if they hadn't been pointed out to us by some forest ranger types.

We do keep a look out for things like turkey vultures and other low-flying birds of prey that might be hungry for a late morning snack in the form of a bony chihuahua.  On the trails, we generally keep the dogs beside us and discourage them from running ahead too much.  I think Freddy could handle a rattlesnake; Willy, I'm not so sure about.  Anyway, luck was on our side and there were no unfortunate incidents.  Willy pooped on the living room rug once, but with a chihuahua, it's basically a pretzel nugget.

The biggest drama of the week was when I spilled red wine on the white -- white?! -- living room sofa.  We tried salt and Dawn and Fab, but finally went into town and bought some Tech stain remover at a local hardware store and, let me tell you readers, that stuff really works.  Another crisis averted but really, should a dog-friendly vacation cottage have white upholstery?  Fortunately, the cushion covers were removable.

Oh, before I forget -- we had cable, which is always a treat since we don't have TV here.  If I had regular access to that Turner Classic Movies channel, I'd do nothing but watch movies all day.  Am I the only one for whom a round-the-clock tribute to Conrad Veidt is something very exciting?

 

I also read a book, which I picked up at a local flea market:  Mervyn Leroy: Take One.  It's the 1974 autobiography (well, as told to...) of the famous director/producer whose films include The Wizard of Oz, Little Caesar, and Million Dollar Mermaid.  Absorbing if not particularly memorable.



Enough empty chatter!  I simply can't blog today.  I do intend to blog tomorrow, however, so please come back then.

In closing -- though we never really opened -- what do you do when the blogging muscle starts to go flabby?  Do you find that a low-carb diet helps or must one simply get back on the horse -- in looser boxers perhaps -- and write away?

All advice appreciated!

Happy Monday, everybody!

27 comments:

  1. Conrad Veidt? Isn't he the actor who played Major Strasser in "Casablanca" ('perhaps more persuasive methods...')?

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  2. Gosh, i'm no help in getting the blogging muscle trim, taught and terrific. I've blogged once in the past year; and that was a tribute to our dearly departed 14 year old yellow labrador, Casper and to introduce the imminent, (now here) arrival of Wilbur (chocolate) our latest labrador family member.

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  3. That seemed alot like a blog to me. Clogged sewers....hahahahahaha

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  4. Seems like quite a long blog post for not-blogging. What I am doing is NOT blogging, you on the other hand filled up a whole page. Every day I think of things I could blog about, I even take pictures...but then blah, blog I just can't get the energy to do it. I hope with Labor Day will come a resurgence of my verve.

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  5. I'm sorry you couldn't blog today. I was looking forward to it. I'll check back tomorrow.

    (I was going to mention the white sofa in your pics from yesterday, but then thought: slipcover and bleach = good clean-up after red wine-spilling guests.)

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  6. Oh my! You are very lucky to have gotten out the wine stain....Kind of ruins a good buzz when something like that happens. I can't wait till tomorrow to see what you Non-blog about.

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  7. Maybe you should ask what your readers would like to see in some upcoming postings? Or, stroll the streets for inspiration? Let Cathy do a guest posting? How about perusing the new Vogue and Bazaar fall fashion issues? I just made it through the Vogue, and was pretty disappointed. Would love to hear what you think...Anyway,for not blogging today, I think you did pretty darn good!

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  8. Welcome back Peter! Here is a cautionary tale about rattlesnakes and dogs: http://smilesforsadie.blogspot.com/p/two-rattlesnakes-one-miracle-dog.html

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  9. You wonderful man! The writing, dear God;the crochet of words. Brilliant, a full course verbiage* that is satisfying. Oh dear Peter, the irony of it all !
    *Wasn't lost on me. ;)

    * We celebrate who you are and your fabulousness *Thank you ,
    <3 Elise (lol)

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  10. I think this is a blog post! Isn't it? You did blog today!
    See, this idea of having to blog or that what you blogged now is not a blog post is what is making me anxious about starting a serious blog. A. I can't keep up with a regular blogging schedule and B. I have too many interests. So does it make sense to start a blog if no one will read it because they'll have to weed through stuff they're not interested in? Should I be writing three different blogs to separate them? I guess separating sewing from learning languages would make sense, but maybe having separate blogs for sewing and knitting doesn't.
    So that's what I wonder: You have a sewing blog, but does that mean you can't post about other things? I like to hear about your other interests. And when you think you don't have anything to write, well, why would you have to? I think readers who are truly interested will be patient :)

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  11. SeamsterEast@aol.comAugust 29, 2011 at 12:39 PM

    As someone who once made his living as a copywriter, I guarantee ya there days when you just KNOW your mind has turned to mush.
    When those days hit -- and all too often they do -- there is not a thing you can do but just WRITE, word after word after word after word.
    Incredibly, some good stuff finds its way out of your fingers and onto the keys. Rewriting is where you carve away the drivel and heighten the good stuff. Sometimes you gotta carve and carve, but the good stuff surfaces.
    Rumor has it, Hemmingway fifteen (15!!) times rewrote (on a manual typewriter) the final chapter of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" because, as he said, he "couldn't get the words right."

    Good luck.

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  12. Perhaps a tight headband, or a rubber ring about your cranium, will constrict the blood flow and firm up your thoughts?

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  13. First, Irene made me miss yesterday’s post, so welcome back!! Glad to hear you and the family are safe and Irene dared not touch Cathy’s cousin. My family lived in the Catskills, not far from Woodstock, so your pics brought happy memories.

    I also think of Fall as the start of the year. Fall always meant a new class, teacher, clothes, supplies, bullies, cliques to exclude me, embarrassing gym moments …

    But I digress…

    Tech stain remover – thanks for the tip! Not a bad post for a non-post.

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  14. timber rattlesnake, yellow phase.

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  15. Peter, I seem to be having the same trouble you are in the blogging department. I was on vacation the week before you, and I'm still not back to my regular blogging self!

    But usually, when I am fresh out of ideas (a rare occurrence, actually) I read some other sewing blogs, or jump over to a mixed media art blog, or wade through my impressive stacks of sewing books - I usually feel inspired then and if I don't I just skip the post that day although I don't like to do that.

    "Aunt Hilda" is coming along fabulously - I love the fabric. That is one of my new favorite colors for summer - I even bought a bathing suit in that color this year. Land's End called it dusky turquoise. I'm not sure why, I don't think the color is dusky at all.

    Looking forward to tomorrow's post!
    Paula

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  16. I'm not going to leave a comment here today, but I'm thinking that your posts always make me smile, and frequently make me laugh out loud. Today was no exception. And thanks, I needed that laugh this morning.

    That's all. :D

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  17. Wait wait - I take it back! I AM going to leave a comment! Congrats on fixing your 66 belt! And see - it really IS easy...and isn't it satisfying? Next thing you know, we'll have you doing a little wax job.....

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  18. You mean I was supposed to wax the belt too?

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  19. Well your non blog post has just motivated me to have a look at fixing my 30 year old Bernina. And then I might have a look at the 60 year old Singer I just inherited from my Gran. My frst challenge with that is to work out exactly which kind it is...

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  20. This should fall under giving Peter ideas for further distractions from sewing, but have you heard of Bernice Fitz-Gibbon? I just read her memoir "Macy's, Gimbels & Me" and it was a sheer delight. Just the kind of dame dear Cathy patterns her moxie after I think. See if the library has it. I think you'll love it!

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  21. Thanks for giving me the confidence to examine my grandmother's old Singer. That leather belt intimidates me.

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  22. I like your chit chat blog posts. I am a fan of people taking 'real' breaks, but of course, want to read all the time. If you are open to suggestions, perhaps you can ruminate on your first sewing projects. I was in the process of finishing up my first shirt and ummm, it's not cute. I plan on continuing with it once I get back home but, yeah, really not cute. Any tips on continuuing to sew and get better?

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  23. Saro, you might enjoy this post, from last November:

    http://malepatternboldness.blogspot.com/2010/11/peters-first-sewing-project.html

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  24. Don't ever stop. Even if you feel like you've got nothing to post. You clearly have otherwise you would never have bought such a smile to my face x

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  25. Thanks Peter, checking it out now. :)

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