How a girl makes a table with as little information and experience as possible.

I decided one day I wanted to make my own live edge table. The kind that are thousands of dollars with metal hairpin legs? I wanted it to perfectly line the side of my sofa that everyone wants to climb over. I found a guy who slices up black walnut slabs into 3" thickness, let's them dry for years, picked out a shape I liked, he helped me cut it down from the 11' to 7'. I asked a few questions about what to do and left feeling pretty confident I could do this! Shoved 7' feet of wood through the sunroof in the Benz sunroof, pretty professional.

1st step, remove bark from the sides with metal brush. I first picked a big toothbrush thing with wire bristles and was pretty proud of myself. Then while walking around the hardware store I saw the wire brush thingy that attaches to a drill! I think that's what the dude really meant. As you see in the pics the project has started. The outfit chosen to begin was a strapless maxi dress. Comfort matters right?

I have borrowed a belt sander, bought a random orbit sander, shop vac, salty glasses and face masks. 2 sandings with two different grits, I'm done with 150. 250 is next.

I feel so manly!

Sri Lankan meals

Every morning there was a breakfast buffet available. I would pile plate of papaya with lime and pineapple )only peeled fruit), a freshly made waffle, 2 fried eggs, 2-3 donuts and a plate of curry. Why curry? Do as the locals usually does not lead you to a bad place. Pure gluttony.

Lunch was usually horrible bc it was what the local factories think Americans eat for lunch. Like sandwiches of white bread with mayo and cheese with the crusts cut off. Our all time favorite was the mutton roll. NEVER have one. Think weird egg roll with mutton- whatever that is. Disgusting! Weird Chinese one day that didn't sit well with me.

Dinners were stellar, filet mignon steaks with foie gras, escargot, lagoon and prawns in chili sauce, seafood towers, moda fish in curry sauce. Unbelievable!

Land of elephants

I sit here on an airplane leaving Sri Lanka after a 10 day trip. My second time here in about 6 months. This always sounds glamorous going to far away islands in the middle of the Indian ocean. People do come here for vacation as the tell tale signs of flip flops and sun dresses pace back and forth in the lobby. But not so much for us. We come to review graphic tees. We sit in hours of traffic to sit in factories, hotel conference rooms or the occasional hotel bed. Squares of fabric with art that we send with a suggestion of what technique we think they should use to give us the desired effect are presented one after the other. It really is amazing how much you can find wrong with a graphic on a tee shirt. I honestly don't know how I'm going to save this business. I do not wear tshirts and from what I saw I want to drop 50% of the line! There is no accounting for taste.

I digress. The first time I came to Sri Lanka there could have not been less charm. The oppression towards women was palatable. I am lucky to have gotten out alive. The rage I felt inside at how they treated women was more than I could take. I wanted to fight the entire time. I made it out with out starting something. As you can imagine the 10 days for this trip vs. 3 last time was going to take a lot out of me!

Until the visit to the elephant sanctuary. It is as amazing as you can imagine. They are just milling around and so are we. Then we get to go to their bathing stream. A long walk across a highway and down a side street selling elephant trinkets or elephant poop paper (uh, no thanks) and leather bags until we reach an unreal area where they get to drink and bathe. I can't describe it so I'll say it with pictures. Suffice it to say I feel
differently about Sri Lanka now. I'll do a separate post on my meals. You can always win me with a good meal and an affordable massage!

Tangled woodwork

I wanted a table. I found a guy who sells aged black walnut 3"thick. I am sanding, removing bark, buying tools and I am 1/3 there. One more sanding stage and then staining and waxing. It's going to be gorgeous live edge slab table. All I want to say is I made it my self!

Oh yeah!

Yacht rock party, what more could you ask for?

Me and the hubs actually get out sans children a few times a year. I am ensconced in lots of black enamel and gold jewelry while he chose an all white get up with jeans and a muscle tee. We only needed the ocean air in our hair to complete the mood. Oh, a yacht too but I get sea sick so I wasn't missing that action.

Third times the charm! Knock on wood and all that stuff for luck.

At new years we decided f$ck you 2011 was a good theme. At first I thought - Every year gets better for me. But my friend reminded me i just had 3 surgeries in 4 months and haven't seen my kids in a year. But this glass half empty girl thought - I have great kids, supporting husband, a few wonderful friends, a job and a new beautiful place to live but then...F U 2011! Seemed better bc I'm tired of being recognized at the hospital, wearing the funny gown that the vacuum hose in reverse blows hot air into your gown if you get cold, poked, prodded and cut open. I also am missing my little ones where one is not so little anymore. My job keeps me for at least 10 hours a day and now I have the extra commute. The old house would not sell which put us in a giant hole while paying for two places to live for months. The last kicker, the vintage jag - bucket of bolts money pit! Oh, and my flat stomach now looks like it has been shanked. You don't appreciate something until it's gone.

But then, the kids are still awful cute, their birthdays are this month and I scoured craigslist and found them nice bikes for cheap! Despite working late my kids will call for their dad when they want some thing so they rely on him too. He also has the flexibility to be there for them while I work away. I live in a lovely eichler.

I am 51% F U! Because this year will have to be better.

There is a freaking coyote howling right outside. It's a sign. Doesn't seem like a good one but I will pretend.

At least you have your health

When you are going through a rough time and someone pulls that out of their pocket it always means nothing...until NOW. 3 surgeries in 3 years! 2 kids, 1 husband, 1 kidnapped cat and new house, great job and I don't have my health.

I am currently 3 days post-op, hoping I will be able to have enough energy to cook dinner for the family soon. For gods sake I haven't even had a target run! We don't even have a microwave or a broom nor curtains. I want to not have someone tell me I'm too skinny! I want to work with clarity! I want to wear heels all the time. Well I do have my priorities.

There is my old life that I want back. It is simple but in a new house that I want to take advantage of now! That's another blog, I won't get into that now. I't not complicated, it's simple.

I want to be the one saying at least I have my health...