Breaking a Thumb – and a Sweat
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It was August, and it was HOT. Hard to imagine on a wintry day like today. My brother Kenny had come from Utah to torture help me with my yard. I thought he was going to maybe whack down the little sucker trees that had overtaken my garden, mow the lawn…Nope! He went full monty yard-wise, digging out those sucker trees by the roots, adding a weed barrier against future miscreants, adding mulch, fairy lights and fairies…My dream garden! He put in hours and hours. I tell you, this guy has the strength of an ox half his age!
Alas, I do not. I wanted to get back to my sewing room. I was having a slight breakdown when my cell phone rang. It was a job. Starting the very next day. Just a temporary one – at the time. It has since become permanent and that’s where I dwell to this very day.
Luckily for me it’s at an elementary school and we get out in the summer. Therefore, come June I’ll be back to doing what I love best. O.L.D.S. (Once-Loved Dolls, in case you didn’t know). I’ll start with the girl that I was working on mid brother’s visit and before that phone call.
Her name is Woodstock, and here are a few peeks at her. She won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but sometimes you just have to get a little groovy with it. She’s a 14″ Anne Shirley and like most Annes she had some broken fingers. Two, to be exact. Her pinky and ring finger on her right hand. That’s what gave me the idea in the first place. She already almost looked as if she was flashing the “PEACE” sign. But to make it convincing, she really needed to have her thumb bending inward too. Gulp.
Yep, I did it! I broke off her thumb. Anne’s fingers are actually kinda stubby. I didn’t want to make them disproportionate to the rest of her fingers, so what you see is what I ended up with. I’m happy with them!
I’ve already made her day of the week underwear and her cork wedge shoes. The bell bottoms I’m going to remake because I’m not happy with the fit. There’s also going to be fringe and flowers and leather in her ensemble too. She’ll finally get her turn and then it will be onto the next. And the next, and the next after that. Can I get more than three dolls out in the summer? I hope so!
In the meantime, I love my job! I work with kids who need a little extra help. Don’t we all sometimes? Plus, we get snow days. Like today.
I hope you’ve all been well. I miss you and can’t wait to see you again on a more regular basis! This job keeps me young. Challenging and rewarding and then summers off to play and do as I please! THANK YOU, KENNY. I face this coming summer with a beautiful garden that’s full of potential that I could never have achieved otherwise and an appreciation for all that you are, even though at the time I wanted to smack you a little bit if I’d been able to lift my arms…
Until June, and now and then in the meantime…You’re My Favorite!
D5 Creation
what a wonderful post. thank you for helping those kids and i look forard to more pics of that beautiful garden!
Missed you too! Happily looking forward to your next creations!!
Thank you, Loretta! I’m gonna try and get FASTER. That’s my eternal quest.
Cheers!
Ruth
Thank you so much, Sherry! More to come! As soon as this pesky snow melts…
Ruth
Looking forward to the 2021 installment of fixing up Iowa with Ruth. I think this time we should do June.
YIKES – I mean, YAY!! AWESOME!!! But wait until I find out for sure when school is out. I have no idea with all these snow days…
Love you, Bro!
Ruth
Ruth ~ How wonderful to “read” you again. You’ve been missed! How blessed you are to have wonderful siblings! Many of us know gardens are so good for the soul as is the relationship with those who cultivate together. I’m so looking forward to your new creations. Finally, as a retired Speech-Language Pathologist I can’t thank you enough for helping those that need “a little extra”. Oh how you are enriching those around you in so many ways….
Whoops. I guess I didn’t hit the “reply” button. My response to you is below…
Ruth
Oh my goodness! I thought we were going to hear that you had broken your thumb! It was a relief to read the whole story and to see that Woodstock’s thumb looks so good. What a cool theme for herfive right down to the Day-of-the-week panties. In the meantime, those are some really lucky kids to have you in the classroom and your brother sounds a lot like mine. I look forward to your next update.
So true, Pam! Brothers like that are a blessing…and a curse. Mostly a blessing, though. Am I right?!
Cheers!
Ruth
THANK YOU, Deanna! I must say, this is my most favorite “real” job I’ve ever had. It’s a perfect fit for me. And I’m very lucky in regards to my siblings. All seven of them! It occurs to me I’ve lived a very charmed life.
Thanks for your kind words!
Ruth
I am always amazed at how you go from bright idea to completed doll.It boogles my mind! Do you suppose your brother would adopt me…um…my yard??
YOU CAN HAVE HIM. Kidding! Kidding, Kenny (if you see this).
Thank you for your kind words, Tamara!
Ruthg
We have stucco that needs repair or replaced so was wondering how you were toing to repair yours?
Greetings, Lyle! Hope you see this. If you look closely, you can see the stucco I repaired to the right in the lower half of the porch. It hasn’t been painted yet. I used “Hypertufa” from a recipe I found on Pinterest.
I go into more detail with more pictures on this post: http://hazeltwigg.com/blog/hyper-therapy/
Hope this helps, and good luck!!
Ruth