A new shirt and a new job

I'm growing weary of purse sewing, even though I've got a lot of new ideas floating around in my head.
But anyway I took a break from purses and decided to try the very popular (according to Pattern Review) Simplicity 4076.

I don't have a picture of the wrap style top I made yesterday (It's in the washer, but I'll get to it tomorrow) but I do know that I'll have to cut a smaller size. I made a size 10 but it sags across the back of my neck and just looks a bit big. That's ok though since it's comfortable.

Here is the twisted front view. It's also a size 10 but it fits a lot better than the crossover version. I may use a size 8 on the back for the next one though because I had to yank up the shoulder seams by about a half inch.


This is why I love a busy print. It's very forgiving!

(Ignore the air conditioner and garbage can in the background, just more fun Big City living)



Recognize the print? I used the remnants from this dress. What's nice is that this top requires very little fabric!


I'm a little dismayed at this view. My almost 5o years are starting to show. Saggy arms and a big butt are taking over. I run 3 miles a day but I could really be doing a bit more! I have a Pilate's chair but never use it because it's boring. I think I'll get it back out and use it. I have no excuse!







Now for the big news! Tonight I filled out the official forms for a background check for the job I want. Hold on to your hats! I'm embarking on a career of house cleaning!

You heard me, house cleaning.


And I'm very excited.


All of my life I've worked in an office and was told by everyone at my first job (when I was 18)that I had a job for life. Well, life has a funny way of not working out the way we think it should, I remember getting married and thinking that was for life too (although life sentence would be more like it, but I won't go there). Ten years ago (after having lost that stupid 'job for life') I ended up in a low paying office job and had to add waitressing to my evenings and weekends in order to survive.

Now I'm in the Big City and need a job but I'm burnt out on waitressing and the only good shifts are nights and weekends. If I wanted to do that I would have just stayed back in my swamp town.

I hate to have to start all over in an office and end up being the low woman on the totem pole.
At a new office job I don't want to figure out :
Who the resident back stabber is (while smiling in your face); Who shares a juicy piece of gossip and then tells everyone you're the one who said it; Who wants to be the boss, will never be the boss, and therefor bosses you around.
You get the idea.

I think it's wonderful that I don't have to be trapped in a conventional job and I'm very fortunate to be able to take a side trip off the main highway of life in my effort to earn a living.


Last winter I read about this small cleaning company and something just clicked with me so I emailed them, telling them that I would be coming to The Big City this year and would be interested in working for them. Imagine how surprised I was when they contacted me last month and asked if I was still available! I want a physical job (ie: big butt in above picture), I don't want to work in an office, and I would love Monday through Friday with no evenings or weekends. What better job than house cleaning!

But of course I never do anything the easy way. Last week we met at my local Starbucks for my interview and we agreed to meet there again tonight to finalize my paperwork.


I got there exactly on time but no one was there to meet me.


I ordered a horribly fat, double chocolate whip cream topped concoction, and proceeded to drip it down the front of my shirt.


After a few minutes of waiting, I agonized and tormented myself by wondering if I'd gotten the day wrong, or heaven forbid the time wrong. Maybe I was supposed to be there at seven and not seven thirty, maybe they'd waited for so long and decided I was a no show and a total loser and left. Maybe....


But by now with the chocolate stains all over my yellow t-shirt I half hoped that I was right and that I wouldn't wouldn't be seeing them after all.


I called Hans and asked him to look at the table where I keep my computer and see if he could find the note I'd written to myself about the meeting. He found many notes but nothing that could help me, and then I saw my future employer literally running down the sidewalk.


She was very apologetic (stuck behind traffic, ambulances, trains, etc... welcome to The Big City!), and thought the chocolate on my shirt was funny.



Anyway next Tuesday will see me helping her clean two houses.


I'm moving on up!


And I was relieved to find, upon checking my reflection in the mirrored visor of my vehicle after our meeting, that I did not have a tell tale chocolate ring around my mouth.


Heavens no! That's never happened to me!