Sunday, October 25, 2015

Crushing it, Pallet-Style


Do you have those ideas where you're like, "I think I'll do something like from Pinterest that's really crafty."?

I have done these Pinterest projects many, many, many times before, but they were always food-based. I love food. I like to make it. No-brainer.

However, what I have now that I didn't have before is Josh. And Josh is a Pinterest go-getter. And when I say go-getter, I mean we came up with this concept, he got a bunch of pallets immediately, and we started tearing them apart almost as quickly.

The concept of which I speak is a pallet wall. The master bedroom needed some work, having been painted a uniform bluegray. I mean "uniform" as in down to and including the doors and baseboards.

So we agreed that this pallet wall would be really cool, and we would paint the rest of the bedroom a less-threatening, lighter gray.

The next question was whether to paint or stain it. Josh talked about how cool it would be to find a natural stain. And then he did some research. And then he formulated the plan. What he found was a stain comprised of nails and vinegar combined in a bucket. There's oxidization involved, very science-ish, no idea. But allegedly it worked.

Here is what we were looking at before.



And here is also what we were looking at before. 


But, and I really can't emphasize this enough, Josh is a go-getter. We tore those pallets apart. And by that I mean largely him.

He also made the stain. 


Regular vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar.

Not gonna lie, there was for sure a strong smell. And let's just leave that there.

This weekend was declared as the one in which it was all coming together. By Josh. Josh declared it. But I was totally down with it, too, so.

The project commenced. In earnest.

So much rippin' and tearin'.


And staining. 


Huge color variation based on the vinegar type alone. 

And then, it began.

These are the beginnings of the wall lamps, side note. Super awesome.

He flat made it happen.

And then, he closed the deal.

Look at that outlet-cutting and baseboard-making technology.

Pallet wall with natural stain: complete.

I made bread...and kinda cleaned the garage. The point is, the wall is great.


Thursday, October 8, 2015

The Long Goodbye.

This is probably the hardest thing I've ever written, which is weird because I always thought it would be the easiest thing I would ever do.

All I wanted, for most of my life, was to get out of Nevada. I found myself back here in 1994 after the tiniest of hiatuses, unsure of the path I should take.  My motivation at the time was severely lacking, and before I knew it, I had bought a house with my son's father, we were engaged, and Hunter was on the way.

I was overwhelmed with love the first time I saw my son. I loved him so much, in fact, that I agreed to stay in Nevada and raise him. Our families were both here, and at the time it made sense for me to let him marinate in all of that love. I always told myself that I would stay until he was gone, and then I, too, would leave.

What I didn't know was what a dark, lonely stretch of hell his final months before moving away would be. How could I know what he would go through? How could I know all of the cataclysmic events that I would go through? How could I know that those events would culminate with me losing my best friend, first figuratively, and then literally? I couldn't. And I'm glad I couldn't. Because how much would we try if we knew the struggles lying ahead of us? Would we rise to a challenge if we knew the steps that we would have to take to meet it?

I had an initial escape plan, but the passion was lacking. The timing was off, and it was just too soon to make that commitment. I found an amazing place to live, and an amazing place to heal. I gained friendships that I had spent years lacking. I found my peace, and I found my center.

But while I was sitting and waiting and wishing for the magical time that would mean I got to leave Nevada, there were amazing things happening all around me that I discounted. 

Nevada takes care of its own. There are endless fundraisers and benefits to help people or family struggling with upheaval. When I had cancer, the outpouring of love and support I received from this community blew my mind.The women at First National Bank, which was not even my bank!, wore pink bracelets emblazoned with the words "Team Mom-Tard" (Hunter's design, naturally) to support me. That was one tiny example in six months of assistance. I received free tires from Highley Tire Center to get me back and forth to treatments. I received gas cards from Vernon County Cancer Relief for the same reason. And I had endless meals delivered to me by friends, and even virtual strangers, who just wanted to help by feeding my boys when I was too sick to do so. So, these are the things that I remember when I reflect on the four decades I spent here.

So it is now that it is time to go. Anyone who knows me knows that I always like to find lyrics befitting any life situation I may be going through, or any life situation at all, or anything. Today's selection comes from the Avett Brothers' "I and Love and You."

Load the car and write the note
Pack your bags and grab your coat
Tell the ones that need to know
One foot in and one foot back
But it don't pay to live like that
So I cut the ties and I jumped the tracks
Never to return

The truth is, Nevada will always be home. Whether or not it is time for me to go, this was my community and these are my people. I want to thank you all for a really great 40 years.

I love you guys. 







Thursday, October 1, 2015

 I think will have times where we know we're vulnerable to emotion and can feel it bubbling up with a sickening and tenacious intensity that we are powerless to fully squelch. In those times, it is only natural to seek release of some form. That release can be drinking, eating, distracting with it and upbeat song for example, or just dealing with it and crying it out.