~~ I hear the wind outside picking up, an' with it being over 70 Degrees, it looks like we're in for some rough weather...A good portion of the U.S. has been hammered with heavy snows, icy conditions, and people jus' not too thrilled with Life right now...my heart goes out to all who are in the grip of this terrible MESS --

But on a lighter note...there has been some progress on the Art ~ End of things here..some projects that have been sitting on my craft table are finally getting finished...an' the middle son who knows All Thangs Computer, tells me he can get some pictures of my work on this hear lil' Blog...'cept he's in Washington D.C. at the moment, so I can't find out 'xactly how to post my stuff till he gets back tomorrow afternoon...I'm Excited, still, to know that I'll be able to let the World see what sorta things I've been creating...The Moment of Truth, as it were...

Yesterday while getting some fabric pieces cut to apply on a couple of projects, I was stationed in my dinning room -- I had 2 workmen in the attic, and in the kitchen -- they were finally here to repair our furnace...Now -- the thing is WAY too large for the house...the people we bought the house from must have looked like an easy sale to the heating and air company who installed the Beast in The Closet ~~ Because the furnace is this HUGE thang that eats loads and loads of natural gas like candy -- our heating bills have run over $200 most winters, and we finally HAD ENOUGH!!! -- an' after saving up for nearly a month, I broke down an' called another heating an airconditioning company, and asked them to come out and generally Make Things Better...

We've used this particular company since we've lived here, so I trust their work...they've been very professional, but have repeatedly told me that the furnace we have was probably a great sale for The Other Company...an' is just not meant for this house...maybe one double the size of ours...ANYWAY -- we've discussed making some imrovements in the duct work, that would make the Beast run more efficently...an', like I said...after saving up, we finally got the repairs done....lots of Cutting of Wood....Hammering -- Yelling back & forth between 2 workmen...tracking dirt in & out of the house...making The Dog a nervous wreck...but after 2 1/2 hours, The Improvements were DONE!!! New registers are now sitting very happily where some REAL old one once were...shiny and clean...and the workmen even cleaned up after themselves ~~ AND ~~ All of this to the tune of $670.70 .....

After I picked myself up off the floor after getting the estimate and final amount for the work done...I regained my composure...wrote out a check for the total...an' quickly sank into a chair at the dinning room table... I am nearly CONVINCED I have chosen the wrong Occupation ~~ Heating & Air Conditioning guys must have some REALLY great vacations..because I'm sure what I jus' paid those guys should get them to Florida this winter IN STYLE!!! Six-Hundred Dollars!!! SIX!!! ~~ HUNDRED!!! Too bad that back in the day when I was in high school, classes weren't available for Girls to take any vocational classes..Because believe me, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THEM!!!

~~ 'K -- sorry for the rant...but now I have to re-think what to do for Christmas...I'm not too sure if I can even afford one of those Dollar Places....sigh...

Lady of The Tulips ~~ who's pondering whether - o - not to sign up for some kinda vo-tech classes, to Learn a Trade....sheesh...