I'm back...

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It's been 7 long months since I have posted.  It has been difficult to move on, but I am finally feeling like I can spend time on my blog again.

I did manage to liquidate my husband's business, and to landscape the house as much as I am going to this year, with the help of my work crew.  When my husband died there were 5 employees; that increased to six for awhile, but through attrition is now down to 3. By winter it will be two--the minimum I will need to help me keep things going next spring.  Over the next few weeks I will try to post photos of the landscaping and of other things that have kept us busy.

But for now, just to get back into the swing of things, I'm posting photos of my sewing machine collection.  I joined a couple of groups online who love vintage machines the way I do, and I have picked up some interesting models.  They are all functional, although they may not get regular use. I am slowly learning about the maintenance and restoration of these old workhorses; I now feel that I am rescuing them from a horrible fate, like getting a pet at a shelter. 

So here are photos of the ones I have now:

Singer 115 Treadle, with worn "Tiffany" decals.

The serial number is G3695527, which was issued on June 10, 1914.

This is NOT necessarily when it was manufactured, just when the serial number was issued.

It works well, but I'm not an accomplished "treadler."

 Singer 221-1 Featherweight, #AH056884, Apr. 22, 1947.

Singer 15-91, #AH022248, Apr. 4, 1947.

Singer 15-98K handcrank, #EG177462 with Centennial badge,

Nov. 2, 1950.

 

 Singer 201-2, #AL061649, Sept. 3, 1952.

  

Singer 301, mocha color. 1952-56 period.

I can't get to the serial number right now--it's underneath the machine.

The machine fits in a special cradle in the cabinet. This is one of my favorite machines--it makes a very satisfying mechanical sound as it sews.

 Singer 221K Featherweight, #ES243315, Jan. 10, 1961.

Singer 503A "Rocketeer," NC478885, 1961. Space-age styling!

 Singer 223, a Japanese-made machine from the 60's. JA-8.

 Singer 239 Fashion Mate from the 60's, straight stitch only.

Singer 237 Fashion Mate, but this one has a zigzag stitch. 60's.

These 2 models are the only ones in the Fashion Mate series that still have all metal gears.

 This "Universal Deluxe Precision Sewing Machine" is a clone of a Singer 15, made in Japan after the Singer patent expired, from Singer plans. I love the color of this one. 1960's.

 Sears Kenmore 158.12111, probably circa 1968-70. All metal, free-arm.

 White 764, known as the "Fair Lady" because it was introduced at the 1964 New York World's Fair. I love the gold and bronze color, and the built-in handle.

Well, unless I have one hidden somewhere I've forgotten, that's the vintage collection. So far.  They're like potato chips.  I find most of them at thrift stores, yard sales, auctions, or flea markets. Some were given to me, some called my name as I passed by. I clean them up and bring them back to life.

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I do have some modern machines, although more and more I find myself using the vintage ones.

 A Husqvarna Viking Rose, the only machine I have with embroidery capabilities--but only a 4" x 4" field. Sews nicely, too.

 My newest is a Baby Lock Quest Plus.  I cannot recommend this one; although it sews well, it has certain--peculiarities, shall we say--that make me regret my purchase. I bought it new about 3 years ago. They no longer make it. Hmmph.

 

and of course a serger--a Baby Lock Imagine with Jet Air threading. The only way to go.

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That's enough for now. I'll try to post a little more regularly from now on.

 

A New Day

As many of you know, my husband has been very ill for some time now.  January 5th was our 35th wedding anniversary, and the next evening he died.  He had everything planned out so I would be okay; he had seen two of his three sons and his oldest grandson recently, and had made sure the addition to the house was completed.  He had only been unable to do the things he loved for about 3 weeks.  Cancer had ravaged his body, but he was not in pain.

My family and friends have been wonderful, staying to watch over him so I could sleep, or just visiting with him so I could run errands.  For two weeks after he died I only spent one night alone, and that at my request.  Now they have returned to their lives, and I am getting on with mine.

I am not at all sure that he realized how close the end was for him--I think he fully expected to rally as he had done before.  He had spoken quite recently of plans to build a greenhouse on our property this spring.  But it will not be done.  It is painful for me to realize that much he has done over the past two years has come to nothing, that the business he was trying to build will not continue.  But I am not a gardener, and know nothing of running a business, so I have decided to liquidate his nursery business through charitable donations.  I will keep enough stock to landscape the house and property. I will continue to employ the high school kids that worked for him; goodness knows I will need the help keeping the place mowed, the landscape plantings going in, and sorting through the mountain of 'stuff' he left behind.

He was cremated and his ashes interred at the National Cemetery nearby.  He had Masonic honors at his funeral and military honors at his interment.  A bagpiper played in tribute to his beloved Scottish heritage.  I think he would have been pleased.  It would be easy for me to remake him into a saintly figure in my mind, but he was human like the rest of us, and I prefer to remember him as he was.  He was a good man who loved me and his family and friends to the best of his ability.

So what is ahead for me?  I will take all the time I need to grieve.  I will keep myself busy at all the myriad tasks that must be done--the sorting and filing of papers, the endless phone calls and notifications, the cancelling of orders and subscriptions.  Tax season will soon be here, and I have to complete the paperwork of closing his business.  I will transfer assets into my name. I will rearrange my home and my life to suit my own tastes.

I will make an effort to get out and socialize, although I find myself in tears at the oddest moments.  I will try to keep in touch with friends.  But I will also get used to living alone, to sleeping alone, to eating out alone. Maybe I will travel a little; maybe not so much.  But all things considered, I will be okay. Life will go on, on Little Elm.

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Complete!

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It's been over a month since the last post.  My hubby has been in and out of the hospital, and is now on hospice care at home.  His declining health has kept me from being able to post here or to keep up with other things.  Meanwhile the work has gone on, and now the addition is finally complete, and completely paid for.  Oh, there are a few details that are lagging, but very minor things, such as a missing piece of porch railing due to a couple of missing attachment brackets; some wallpaper that needs to be glued down after the flooding last summer, and some caulking.

So here are the finished photos:

The front view:

 The north end.

The back, showing the upper deck, and the lattice.

 

The back walkway and staircase, covering the A/C unit and natural gas generator:

 

These are showing our rather unusual Christmas lights in the evening.  We have colored bulbs in the can lights on the porch. Landscaping will wait for the spring and for the time to work on it.

 

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I am still trying to get things organized, but I'm making steady progress.  Here is my sewing room as it looks today:

 

and the craft room:

My desk area:

The downstairs bathroom now has the mirror in place. The left door covers the tankless water heater; the right one has the furnace for the addition.

We finally got the mirrors hung in the upstairs bathroom as well.  I'm really pleased with them.

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I may not post as often for the next few months due to my hubby's illness, but news of that and of other events will be posted here, so stay tuned! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!

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Almost finished!

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I can't believe it's been so long since I posted anything! Unfortunately we've had some medical problems pop up since October.  My hubby had a hospital stay due to his cancer, and is now undergoing chemotherapy to keep him functional and more comfortable.  In addition I discovered I need to have another surgery on my eye, which will take place in a couple of days.

We have almost finished the interior of the addition.  This week we finally got the countertops installed, and the plumber finished the bathrooms.  

 

The framers have poured the footings for the upper deck, and that will be built this coming week. The natural gas powered generator has been hooked up, and the HVAC is working perfectly.

 

The pantry is complete and I love it! Especially the door...

 

I have started moving furniture into the craft room and sewing room, although I still need to find a couple of workspaces for the craft room.  I am having a 4' x 8' cutting and pressing table custom made for the sewing room, and it will be delivered in a week or so.

 

It will probably take all winter to get everything where I want it, but  we're getting there!

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Flooring is finished!

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The wood laminate flooring has been installed throughout the old part of the house now.  I am very pleased at how well it matches the existing paneling. We had to pack up almost everything in the house to get it out of the way, but we are finally getting it put back together.

 

The master bedroom closet is not finished yet.  The painters should be here within the next week or so.  There is still a lot of painting and staining to do.

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 I have been working on arranging the furniture in the sewing room and the craft room, but only on paper.  I drew them out on graph paper to scale, measured all my furniture, and cut out cardboard shapes so I can figure out where to put them. 

 Above: both rooms

 The sewing room

The craft room

It will be a few weeks yet before I can actually move the furniture into the rooms, but it helps to know where things will fit.  A few of the pieces I have not yet purchased, so I will be looking for the right size tables, armoire, etc. while the rooms are being finished.

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Flooring

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Some of the flooring has gone in on the ground floor.  We are quite pleased with the look.

 

As you can see, the flooring closely matches the staircase.

A thick underlayment makes it comfortable underfoot.

The elevator cab is installed and functioning.  The flooring needs to go in and a few other touches need to be completed, but it is nice to get it up and working.

The installers will finish the downstairs this week and with luck will be able to complete the upstairs floor as well.

They have given us a week to get as much as we can up off the floor in the old part of the house, so they can rip out the old, nasty carpeting and install the new laminate there as well.  It will be disruptive for the next couple of weeks, but I'm glad they have arrived at this point.

I hate having to pack things up again, but this should be the last time.  Once I unpack it all again, I expect it to stay that way!

Also this week, the electrician should be here to install lighting fixtures, receptacles, and switches. The trim guy should finish most of his work, and the painters should start on the exterior and complete their work inside.  I'm not holding my breath, though.

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