Friday fun

It is Friday and Fridays are for fun. We are getting a little winter weather here in the cold bold North. Last year we didn’t have what I would call a “real” winter. Things are definitely getting real this weekend.

As a lifelong Minnesotan, I have a routine for weekends when the temperature is in the double digits below zero. I mostly stay in the house and work on “winter projects.” Some of those projects involve cleaning closets and refinishing an old rocking chair.

If you are like me and are less than enthusiastic about going out in extreme cold it helps to have a plan.  I usually feel pretty good about getting some winter projects done.

There are a few things that are worse than cold weather. Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and tsunamis come to mind, yet most people prefer warmer climates which is understandable.

It is Friday and Fridays are for fun. I made the mittens in the picture a few years ago and they are my go-to when I need warm mittens. They are the warmest.

I made a pair for my daughter too, from the same sweater. They are lined with fleece. The sweater was accidentally felted when someone put it in the dryer. I call this upcycling.

Some folks collect old sweaters, cut them up, make mittens, and call it upcycling. I would argue that making mittens into sweaters would be upcycling, and cutting up good sweaters for mittens is downcycling.

People like to use blue jeans for various craft projects. There are infinite uses for the pockets but cutting the pockets off of several pairs of blue jeans for a craft project isn’t upcycling. Taking an old pair of jeans and patching and embroidering them and then wearing them is upcycling. I always have an old pair of jeans that I use to make patches for jeans.

Cutting up an old shirt into pieces for a quilt is upcycling. I am in the process of making a small blanket from some old shirts. Many of the shirts are more than 20 years old. I cut around holes and stains. I remove the buttons and add them to my collection. I always have the right button when I need it.

Cutting up old T-shirts and using them as rags is upcycling. I may be the only one but I use rags instead of paper towels for cleaning and for wiping up spills. I keep a few in the car too but I am not sure what they are for.

Generally speaking too much of what we buy new eventually ends up in landfills. Sometimes items can be recycled, or reused and sometimes they can be re-purposed. I happen to have a way with fabric and find new uses for it. The curtains in my office are made from an old tablecloth.

During the winter when it gets dark early and it is cold out I get out my sewing machine and seem to be able to amuse myself until gardening and biking season starts again.

Happy New Year and welcome back. It is Friday and Fridays are for fun. In January storage containers are everywhere because they are an important part of the cycle of capitalism. We work, we buy and we store. We accumulate stuff and rent storage lockers or buy bigger houses. If a bigger home isn’t an option we fill up the garage and park outside.

When we die our kids toss, donate, recycle, or sell our stuff.

Those are some of the reasons I will make 2025 a “buy nothing new year”. I tried that out in 2018 and was mostly successful.

In 2025, I’ll still buy food medicine, and some consumables, like toilet paper. I will buy what I need for my business, but probably already have all the office supplies I need for the year. I often give homemade gifts but if that doesn’t work there is always cash or the local thrift store.

Buying used items is fairly easy thanks to the internet.

Ideally, I would like to buy nothing new for the next four years but I can not plan that far ahead.  Buying nothing new is my nod to the economy, the patriarchy, the oligarchy, and the incoming president. Buying second-hand or not at all is better for the environment and for my soul.

Buying nothing new might not be right for you, but please think before buying storage containers. Storage containers make it easier to put stuff away and forget about it. Maybe it makes more sense to eliminate some of the stuff already being stored to free up a container for something new.

It is Friday and Fridays are for fun. I know I could really use a little levity this holiday season and I found something to make fun of.

“Mocha Mousse” is the Pantone color of the year for 2025. All I can say is let’s not go overboard with it. I don’t want to see entire rooms painted in it. While it isn’t as depressing as grey it is dark and doesn’t inspire me.

I am inspired by the name of the color. If you have ever looked at paint sample cards the way colors are named is often more inspiring the colors.  For instance, my office is painted in a beige grey, but the name of the color is “balboa mist”.  The color is easy to work with and it goes with everything. It fades into the background as a good paint color should.

 

It is Friday and Fridays are for fun. I have been bombarded with emails for the last two weeks offering Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Cyber Week discounts. I took advantage of one of the Cyber Monday deals and renewed a subscription for 60% off the regular price. Yesterday I got a half-price Cyber Week deal on some continuing education classes.

I just wish I could offer black or cyber discounts. I don’t get to decide how much my clients charge for their houses. I can make recommendations but in the end, it is up to them and so far no one is interested in offering seasonal discounts.

It is true. I have no control over the pricing or the quality of the products (houses) I sell. I don’t build them and I don’t control the inventory.

Happy Holidays!

It is Friday, and Fridays are for fun. Next week, we celebrate Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. There is always something to be thankful for.

If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year and if you are planning on turkey, make sure you start thawing it on Sunday, or if it is a small turkey on Monday.

Did you know that you can cook a turkey without thawing it out? Just put it in the oven at 350 degrees. Put a foil tent over the breast. It will take much longer to cook a frozen turkey which is why it is a good idea to thaw it first.

I used to buy fresh turkeys every year until the year I messed up and ended up with a frozen turkey. I can’t believe I am saying this but the frozen birds are better tasting and moist if properly cooked and allowed to sit for a half hour or so before carving.  The Butterball website has tons of information about cooking turkey. Cooking a turkey is pretty easy.

Also, there is still time to sharpen the carving knives. Consult YouTube for sharpening tips. YouTube is a much better source of information than a Realtors blog.