You knew, didn't you? You knew that my hitchless day of sewing couldn't really be true, hu? I don't know how I failed to expect it to all come crashing down. I was actually duped. I--who know better!--really thought everything was great with the sewing project. ~sigh~ Once James got home with the rods and I started working on the curtains again I realized that they had several problems. More than I care to elaborate on. Let's just say I hit "mad" and quit at about 9:00 last night.

This morning I was ready to hit it hard again. If, for nothing else, just to get it all over with. But I took care of some other business first, including calling around and making an appointment for Hershey Dog to have his rabies shot. It expired this month. We never have gotten Hersh licensed in New Mexico and they won't do it without proof of current shots, so it was time to just do it. The lady at the vet clinic in Edgewood said they could take care of him today, so we all loaded up and headed east. I was amazed at this place! I fully expected some dumpy little trailer-turned-vet joint. Not hardly! I would say that it was nicer than any doctor's office that I've ever been in... but I can only recall being in one office, one time, so I really don't have much to judge by! There were "doctors" buzzing all over the place in colorful scrubs and white, squeaky tennis shoes. We signed in and were escorted to our own room to wait. I don't know how many rooms they have, but I expect several. There was an examining table complete with neatly labeled jars of gauze and tongue depressors (!) and who knows what all. The vets finally showed up (had to wait a while first--just like a real doctor, so I hear!), took Hershey's picture (?), then gave him his shots. He growled fiercely, but had fully forgiven the girls by the time it was over. It's great to have a Sanguine dog. ;-)

James has had a hankerin' for Pizza Hut for weeks now, so we drove out to Moriarty. They have a Pizza Hut Express (the closest thing we've got!) and we were able to get some Personal Pans. We came back home and I started to work again on the curtains. Seems like I did something else today, but I can't think of what. All I know is that I worked on curtains and re-did all three of them (long story--I don't want to talk about it) and finally finished everything up at about dinner time. Ah yes. Dinner. I was too absorbed in my sewing (actually, obsessed with getting it OVER WITH is more like it), so James took some chicken out to the grill. Unfortunately, when he brought it in thinking it was done it was still a bit bloody. I covered it and threw it in the oven and we all just made sandwiches instead. Afterwards James and the kids ate the chicken, too! It was very juicy and tasted great once it finally cooked through.

We got all of the curtains hung and I dove right back into sewing. Katie has been in desperate need of some new bloomers for quite some time now. I was sooooo DONE sewing for the day, but I knew if I didn't make them now it would just mean dragging the agony out into another day. So I made myself just DO it. She now has two really crazy pairs of bloomers and I am FINISHED. Not just with these projects--I mean I am DONE SEWING!!! For a very, very long time. I just really, really don't like to sew. Sorry, Mom! I know that's got to be terribly disappointing to you and I've sort of lived in denial of the fact for a long time myself... but we've got to face it. I find sewing extremely frustrating and maddening. I can help thinking that people who actually enjoy it are sick and weird. I always thought I'd like sewing. I always wanted to like sewing. And over and over again I've tried to like sewing. But as of today I quit. I will never again try to trick myself into believing that sewing can be an enjoyable experience. I will, of necessity, sew. But only of necessity. And I certainly won't look forward to it. Rather, I think I'll spend a week planning a celebratory party for whenever I complete the next dreaded sewing project. It may be the only way I can convince myself to get involved in another sewing project at all!

The good news is: We have curtains!!! Just don't look close. And Mom, you're not allowed to inspect them AT ALL when you're here next week. James uttered the dreaded phrase today. "From a galloping horse, nobody would ever know..." I told him that we're going to have to make a law that nobody is allowed IN this house unless they're on a galloping horse! We've made that statement often enough it makes me wonder if we ever do anything RIGHT around here! Ha! Anyway, back to the good news. We have curtains. Katie has two new skirts and two new pairs of bloomers. The GREAT news is that the sewing machines and anything that would remind me of the sewing experience have been hauled out to the garage. THAT makes me very, very happy. :-)

The other really great news is...

He grew a brain!!! Just last night it started! Hershey is actually STARTING to catch on to the dog door thing. I was sooooo worried. He still doesn't have it down great (still goes to the front door half of the time), but he will go out the dog door without prompting at this point--and he's even found it and come in without instruction a few times! Wa-Hoo!!! It must be God. He's got 6 days to practice and let it really sink in before we leave. Unless he has a brain lapse (I wouldn't put it past him), I think he'll be okay. :-)

Alright, that's it. I'll try to post some pictures sometime in the next day or two. I'm sure Katie will LOVE to model her skirts for a picture, Bekah! ;-)

~Rebekah~