One pumpkin and a couple of traffic cones

(First, just a short note to blog reader Nancy Anne.  Would you please email me?  The link in your comment didn't work.  Thanks!)

So, work in the Treehouse has slowed to about 20 mph. That's because a few days ago I had cataract surgery.  I was pretty sure it would be a piece of cake. I'd just scarf it down without lingering at the table--especially if it was chocolate.  Instead, it was more like prune pie. There was no pain I'm happy to report, but fuzzy vision has been slow to go.

As I explained it to Big City Girl the procedure is kinda like road work.  First they bring in the mini-jackhammer to break up the pavement.  Then they shovel out the chunks.   Next is the repaving process, and finally they hose down the construction site drop-by-drop.

In my case, the pavement was well-entrenched, so the jackhammering took a while.  That put extra pressure on my cornea and caused more-than-normal swelling.  More hosing down is helping but it's slow.  I guess the road crew didn't know I have dolls to finish and a deadline to meet.

I was very wise before this project got underway. I hired a good staff to help out.  Mr. Gadget agreed to be my chauffeur.  And he seemed delighted to accept the role of Manager of Drops. The manager position entails a great deal of responsibility. He must keep track of 5 different bottles of drops and then corral me at the proper times to drop them in.  

I've been helping to. I take my part very seriously.  I stand by the side of the road and take endless coffee breaks. Did you know you can rest a cup of coffee on one of those orange barricades? It's like they were made for it. Oh, and I'm diligent about wearing my hard hat.

In two weeks we'll be doing this all over again. By then we should have the bulldozer well-oiled and running like a clock.

Limerick Thursday

Witch Winnie is quite fond of her name,

but that wart on her chin is a pain.

"Please doc," she pleaded, "can't you operate?"

"No! I've too many surgeries on my plate."

So she torched it with a can of butane.

Working the holiday

Mr. Gadget and I are back in the Concondo after a nice, hot, busy two-month stay on the west coast.  Although I do enjoy our travels, I'm always happy to get back to the Treehouse and my projects.  This Labor Day weekend I'm laboring on witch dolls. I'm going to have quite a few to deliver to the old hotel for their fall show.

I've been giving thought to slowing down on my craft production next year.  Maybe just do one show instead of two.  Maybe do more writing.  Maybe write my memoirs.  I've been making dolls since the early 1990's--right after I shared a craft table with a friend.  She made a few hundred dollars on her dolls and I sold one lousy appliqued sweatshirt.  Duh. That was a no-brainer.

Now I've come up with a new doll idea.  Every year I make dolls from patterns I've used repeatedly, but I always branch out and design a couple of new ones.  Some sell, some don't, but I enjoy the challenge.

The new pattern idea is a witch--a primitive witch--and I can see some potential for making other characters. A chef maybe.  A Santa probably. Quite possibly most of the characters I've made with my other patterns.  So I may just slow down some, but not too much.  You know how much I like to make stuff.

So, the month ahead will be a busy one for me.  Witch production will continue, and next week I'm having the first of two cataract surgeries.  The second surgery will be two weeks later.  And then on Oct. 3, I'll be taking the train to NYC to meet up with Big City Girl.  We're going to see a puppet show!

Oh, remember the little clay earthquake bird I made and left on a bookshelf at the Calcondo?  It's been replaced by an earthquake ladybug.  She sits on the rock wall just outside of the front door.  I figure it's going to take about a six-point-o to knock this little gal off her perch.