I am an empire!

I am a city girl, born and raised.

We didn't have no home ec in High School.

My grandmother knew how to sew, but she never taught me.

I taught myself how to hand sew, but that was sort of a mess.

I have only ever been mildly crafty, and only when provoked.

I tried to learn to sew after I got married. Bought a machine, but couldn't thread the fucking bobbin, so I chucked it.

Now, with kids, and a busy house, I needed a hobby. For myself. Reading and writing are good, but the kids can always interrupt. Skateboarding worked well for a while, but falling down hurts a lot more than it used to, and I am too pretty for any more scars.

Plus, a sewing machine is a good obstacle between me and kids. They can't jump in my lap when I sew. Plus the thing is sort of loud, so I can't hear "mommmymommymommmymommy" all the time. And it's not completely selfish.

With Jonny and his textile issue, I can make him stuff he may actually wear without a fight. sold.

So I took a class at the fabric store and I made the most beautiful darn pillowcase you could ever imagine. And I learned how to work the machine. I could thread the bobbin! So I bought one. And I could sew! Holy shit!

First, everyone got pillowcases. Then I started getting ballsy and moved on to bags, and pants for Jonny. And he wears them! Oh my goodness I am a domestic goddess!

Then I tried to make sundresses for my daughter and her doll. it fucking worked! Who knew?

So I started to give the dresses to my daughter's friend for their birthday gifts, and they loved them! I am on a roll.

Next came the big test. I put my purses and dresses on display at a local craft fair. They are called "B - Edgy" after a friend who uses that word to describe me. They are a little weird, but they definitely don't look like any other purse out there. I actually sold several bags, and my dresses sold out, and I took 5 more orders. I am a freaking empire! I have not make a ton of cash. Maybe only enough to buy fabric. But it feel so good to be good at something, and to have people like it. Especially my bags. I use weird fabrics and patterns, but it works! And I like that when people buy my purses, they won't have one like any other. In a see of Coaches and Vera Bradleys (of which I own both, so don't get bitter) it's nice to see.

So, in a couplee of days I will displaying my work for the second time ever at a huge yard sale/ craft fair thingy. Hopefully there will be lots of teenage girls there, they tend to be my demographic.

But even if I sell nothing.

I have a hobby, for me. That I don't suck at. And it's a really nice thing to have.

Fresh Mountain Air

The other reason I wanted to run away to the Mountains of West Virginia was so I could be a parent this summer.

Every summer, where we live, the temperature gets past 100 degrees. The heat index gets upwards of 110. And the air quality index goes red. Those with respiratory problems should stay inside.

That would be me.

So, every summer, i am sidelined by summer. I can't go out, play with the kids, go to the pool NOTHING. I cannot frickin BREATHE. So, I take my meds, go to urgent care, and get really fucking angry. All the while I spend a small fortune for my kids to go to camps because I can't do anything with them, or even watch them because I am too busy struggling for breath.

Well, enough of that madness.

I took that small fortune and reserved a house for a month in West Virginia. High summer temp: 85. And when I asked about air quality warnings, the real estate agent had no idea what I was talking about. Yay. Book it.

So here we are. Playing tennis. Going on walks. Exploring. I have even ridden a horse a couple of times for crying out loud. Yes, I still take my allergy drugs. I have COPD, not brain damage.

The kids are happy. I am breathing, and the only thing wrong is I miss my husband, who has to stay home and work so we can pay for this little experiment.

But I think it worked. I have not used my nebulizer in over a month. And I've done more in one summer than I have since I left Chicago.

And my kids got to hang out with me, not some useless, texting teenager who is supposed to entertain them but really just being a camp counselor to meet chicks and get a paycheck. The kids just told me this was the best summer ever so far. And I agree.