What I did on my summer vacation

[kelliem]

I took the last week off work-- had to use up some vacation before the end of the fiscal year or I'd lose it. I had originally planned to clean out the garage but it was just too hot, even though it hasn't been as hot as the weather-folks predicted, thank whatever deity rules the summer weather. I think I'll have to save that job for a cooler time of year. So instead I've mostly spent the week reading and relaxing and watching a lot of true crime shows like Forensic Files and Cold Case Files and stuff like that. (I have this bizarre and morbid fear of finding a dead body so I think I tend to watch a lot of forensic shows in an effort to make that idea less scary.)

Yesterday I spent pretty much the whole day sewing. I made a vest out of some imported Japanese cotton in a pale seafoam blue-green with a brown abstract/floral print. It came out really well, and matches my seafoam colored linen pants so well it's hard to believe they weren't from the same dye lot. I used this pattern (view A, the one with the center closing) and changed the collar so it folds back like a wing collar rather than a band. Next time I'll probably take a bit out of the side panels as it's a little baggy but other than that I was very pleased. And I have to say I'm really thrilled that the pattern companies are finally making some decent, interesting Plus-sized patterns.

All week Riku (see icon) has tried to get me up at 7:30am. If I sleep past then he thinks something's wrong, I guess, so he plays alarm clock. This morning I'd been up very late reading and was cranky so I shooed him out, closed my door and went back to sleep for another hour and a half. Then I got up and made a batch of raspberry-blueberry scones. Then I hung out reading for a while, and supervised the kid-unit's installation of a fly-style zipper in a pair of pants. Then we decided to go see Live Free or Die Hard.

We thought it was a BLAST! What a ride! It's big, loud, completely implausible, and a whole lot of fun. It's tense and well paced, well edited, and the guy they cast as John McClane's sidekick, hacker-boi Matt, was played by Justin Long (who also played Brandon in Galaxy Quest) and he did a great job. I was very impressed. I highly recommend the flick if you like big, loud, implausible action movies at all.

Comments

[sobelle.livejournal.com]

I'm so envious of people that can sew...

I can't replace a button without stabbing myself enough to leave blood stains!

And even your kid unit can sew... and a zipper too!!

::le big sigh::

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Heck, I stab myself replacing buttons on occasion, too. I think that's a universal thing. :)

Sewing is mostly about practice. I won't say anyone can learn to sew because I've taught several folks to sew and I did have one abject failure so clearly it's not a skill anyone can master, but it's really not that hard. The trick is to start simple and then work your way up. Don't start with the beruffled poet shirt with the gussets and plackets, or the fitted jacket with shoulder pads. Start with a simple tube skirt with an elastic waist, or a t-tunic top. If you have a sewing store in your area, they probably offer classes, you might look into taking one.

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

*avoiding Die Hard spoilers*

I watch those true crime shows ALL THE TIME, to the point where An & my housemate Jana are like "enough already with the body shows!" I particularly like "Haunting Evidence" on Court TV.

[divanoir.livejournal.com]

That is too cool!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

There aren't really any Die Hard spoilers, I'm just paranoid, having been defriended at one point by someone who considered me saying 'I liked it' to be a spoiler.

And yeah, my housemate was all "Wow, you really like those crime shows, don't you?"

I refrained from pointing out that she watches Charmed reruns. ;D

Haunting Evidence is cool. And Psychic Detectives. I love Court TV. ;D

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Um, which?

[divanoir.livejournal.com]

Oops, I meant the vest.