Raige Creations

I have always been a fan of Train , loved their first album way back in 1998 when their debut album came out. I will never forget listening to that in our old bedroom, with all 3 kids piled in our bed, and taking naps to it. They are a poetic band, as I have mentioned before , which is part of the appeal for me. Too 'poppy' most of the time for hubby, and now the kids, but I still like them. I have been nostalgic lately. Especially since I have been unpacking things that have been in boxes in the warehouse for more than 3 years! Things I forgot we had, games like dominoes and Monoply we used to play with the kids, curtains I made for their playroom over 10 years ago! I have been enjoying looking back on memories, listening to old music. Which is why I bring back this band. The times where we napped on weekends to this band make me feel warm and comfortable, and full of love. It is sad to me that the issues in this song are even more extreme than they were back th...

Source: fashionablepins.com I am actually a bit tired of the new at the moment.  EVERYTHING has been new, again and again and again.  Another new bed to sleep in, new kitchen to get used to, new foods to try, a new (old) car, new roads to learn, new people to meet, new internet codes to set up, new phones to hook up, packing a suitcase again. I am so ready to settle in and have some things get old again. I am ready for my space to become familiar. I long to be able to wake up in the middle of the night and know where I am!  (Still takes me a minute or two to figure it out) Building the new is exhausting. But...totally worth it. Source: Raige Creations

Source: Jacqueline via Pinterest A bit unlike my recent blatherings of how wonderful life is and how good things are going? Yes. But I have realized one thing: No matter where you go, no matter how hard you try to be positive, there are some things that just suck! I will give you three things you will most likely wholeheartedly agree that universally, totally SUCK: Utility Companies Used Car Salesmen Insurance Companies No matter where, when, what other things are going on, these things ALWAYS suck.  The key is to always remember.... source: Jamie via Pinterest

Yes, I am still here. I have emerged from the chaos. I have survived the incredibly hellish move, the journey over land and sea, the displacement to an entirely new (yet familiar) place. I have survived the 3 months of preparing for the move, the sorting and purging and packing, the hellish week of emptying and cleaning the house, the day of travel on 2 hours of sleep, the 2 weeks in a resort hotel right next to the Jet Ski hut, the 3 weeks of living out of a suitcase, the strange beds and kitchens where you don't know where anything is, the start of a new job. We have survived the search for a new place to live, a new car to drive, a new life to settle in to.  We landed in the world of the tropics, steel bands, beaches, and a slightly more laid back lifestyle. A lifestyle we haven't enjoyed for more than ten years. I sometimes have to pinch myself, wondering if this is all a dream. I am slightly suspicious when things keep falling into place, and worki...

Yes, you read that right. I made Angel Food Cupcakes. Yes, they were from a box, and all I had to do was add water. Not the picture of delicious made-from-scratch Angel Food Cakes, which really are the best, but a necessity in our current situation. I have to empty out the entire kitchen this weekend, and I don't want to throw away a bunch of perfectly good food (well, mostly good food), so I am trying to creatively cook up anything that is left in the freezer, fridge, and cupboards, with the remaining kitchen utensils that I have not yet packed. I found a box of Angel Food Cake mix in the back of the kitchen cupboard.  (Okay, it had passed the expiration date by a month or 4, but hubby was fine with it, and since I only had to add water and there were no creepy crawlies rooting in the mix, I said 'Why not?') I should mention too that Angel Food Cake is the only cake hubby will eat...so I had to make it. Oh, and I should mention too that I have had a checkered pa...

It has been almost an obsession lately. I hate it, but I love it at the same time. Craigslist . Of course, Weird Al had something to say about Craigslist . I have listed a good many things on Craigslist , after our massive purging over the past few months, and also years ago when we last moved. Things we didn't want or need anymore, things we decided we couldn't move with us, things the kids have grown out of, furniture, cars, motorcycles, tv's. (Sadly, no slightly used sombrero to throw in.)  Why give them away when you can get a little dinero ? So I listed, and yes I fielded MANY scams, dealt with ignorant and difficult people, even had someone try to return an item after picking up and taking home and fiddling with it. (I won't go into details about our newbie mistake years ago, like taking a check from someone wanted by the police for check fraud and writing bad checks) I have had email after email, asking for explanations and haggling prices. And g...

My new mantra of late - That's One Less Thang. Even spoken like Forrest Gump . Because every time I finally get rid of something I have been trying to unloaded for a long time, or every time I cross something off my long, long list, or every time I pack yet another box, I utter: 'Well, that's good. One less thang!' A sense of relief, even though I have much, much more to do. Many more boxes or bins to load with things we just can't part with. Many many trips to storage, for the things we have to ship. Every day something added to the list that I can't forget to do. Thankfully, not really too much more to purge, compared to what we started with. But each thing gone, packed, and crossed off the list is one less thang. And that ain't so bad.  Do your mantras change?  Mine sure do, like here , here , and here just to mention a few. And one here that I still say so often   (thanks again hubby!) , as that day will soon be here where we ...

Sitting in the living room yesterday morning we heard loud thumping upstairs. It sounded like a large animal jumped down off of something and the ran full speed across the room. Several times. All I could do was giggle a little, knowing it was our small, barely 18 pound mutt of a cat doing the things crazy cats do: run across the room for no apparent reason at high speeds. The strange thing is, there is no furniture left upstairs. So what did she jump off of? There are boxes, but most are low to the ground so the big thump had me stumped. The only tall box is the one our large screen tv came in. The tv is gone now, but for some reason we still have the box, and it is over 3ft tall. I doubted she would jump up that high, plus the sound came from the other side of the room. Was she on the windowsill? Source xbox music These sounds continued for about 5 minutes. Back and forth, thump, thump, then the clomp clomp down the stairs. I just thought is was funny, and even strange in...

source  via Pinterest 'Think outside the box'   Yeah, right! Until all you do is try to fit your life inside boxes. Which is what you have to do when you move, which we are. All I do is figure out how to fit my life in to boxes!  How can I think outside the box?!?!?! Perhaps my goal should be this: source I am sick to death of boxes.  I may just get rid of them all!

Thank goodness the rain waited until this morning to come. But cleaning up the leftover moving sale stuff was a bit miserable this morning. Cold, windy, wet. source It is said that in this song, Creedence Clearwater Revival use a metaphor of the rain to speak about seemingly endless times of confusion and misery. That is how I feel after 3 long days of the sale, and weeks of preparation for the sale, and now at least another couple days dealing with the leftovers from the sale.  Seemingly endless times of confusion (what to keep, what to donate, what to try to sell) , and misery (the weather, being outside in cold temps, wind, and rain all weekend, and dealing with 'customers' who want something for nothing, and then a discount on top of that, and when we did not give in to their demands, they left not buying anything!!), and then today the rainy wind while we cleaned up the leftovers just added to it. So, I wonder, who'll stop the rain? When will I be able...

'Times when the day is like a play by Sartre When it seems a book burning's in perfect order'... As I sit and stare at the boxes in the basement, living room, and piles of stuff throughout the house, at least I have this peppy tune to make light of the situation. I am prepping for a yard sale, compiling piles of our things that we no longer need or want. Add to that about 20 boxes of books just picked up at an auction, and I wholeheartedly agree with the lyrics posted at the beginning. A book burning may just be a good idea! A few of the boxes But no, these were bought in the hopes of re-selling to make a wee bit of money to actually help us in our move. The reality is that this is a task I am quite overwhelmed with. I love books, but this is ridiculous!  'Too much of a good thing can be taxing' , as Mae West said . A few more of the boxes If I had the time, it would be great to sort through, scan some, and read others, If I had time t...

We thought it was Spring. But no. Even though the calendar says Spring, Mother Nature has other plans. I heard this song on one of my walk/runs (got 3 in last week, this week so far, a big fat none...but the week is still young....) and it was a good pace to walk to, a little slow for running for me. Still, kept me going. And yes, I was wearing a sweater (well, sweatshirt) And Yes, the forecast has SNOW in it this evening! Dangit. But, hopefully, it won't be long until we can put our sweaters away.  And for me, maybe put away for good! I will be dreaming of no more cold winters......and a Spring that really is Spring when the calendar says so......and walking and running in shorts and a tee! Can't wait. Video and photo by The  Neighbourhood .

I have been taking so many pictures these days. And no, not the fun, inspirational ones I usually like to take. I have been taking pictures of things we have to sell. source: zulily.com So lately, the way I am seeing my life is through all the crap we have, that we don't need.   How did we get this far away from living simply?? I don't want to see my life like that. In what way would I describe what life is like? There are so many options.........like monkey bars.... source: MotivateHopeStrength Yes, I am letting go of so much stuff!  So we can move on.  I can't wait to be done with the 'getting rid of stuff' ! It is hard to be letting go of some things. The change is hard, but I am ready to move on already. You could say life is like.......underwear? source: TARTORA Lingerie Ok...you could say that. And yes, I keep talking about moving, and yes we are moving, so you could also say that life is like riding a bicycle.... source: Move...

Into the wild.... I heard this song while on a walk/run. It is such an inspirational song to me, I love the whistling, and the strength of her voice, and the lyrics........ Somebody left the gate open You know we got lost on the way Come save us a runaway train Gone insane How do we how do we not fade How do we how do we how do we not fade away How do we how do we oooh Into the wild How are we living living living Into the wild How are we living living living Are we lost on the way? I say only if the gate is closed. With the gate open, we are living. source The gate is opening for us...and I myself am quite looking forward to be on a runaway train, gone insane! {also metaphorically} Am I more scared than not....not this time! It is about time we got up, out of this rut, ask that important question - how are we living - and take off down that path we need to go.... Into the wild.... Wooohoooh!  Woohooahoo Heeeyyy Heeey Is...

Spread your love and FLY! Just a feel good song today, much needed after a very busy weekend of letting things go.  We are cleaning out stuff, prepping for a move. Lightening the load gives a weightless feeling (for a brief time)! (Details not available as yet, just knowing we have to pack up and begin a new adventure.) I hadn't cleaned out my closets, dresser, or anything really, since we moved here! (over 3 years ago!!) Long overdue. And I will probably do it again before we move, getting rid of more stuff.  There is something quite lifting about letting go of things. Got lots more to purge, but I already feel the lightness of letting them go.  The reward - not flying - but less to hold me down. How often do you go through your things to lighten your load?

Just a small complaint today. Well a few rather large ones actually. We need to move these things from their current location, and let me tell you I am extremely tired of moving things.  If there IS a bright side, we only have these things to move at the moment.  We have managed to sell many of the the displays we ended up with at the close of the business.  I should be thankful for that. And I am. But, we still have large, heavy things to move.  It is seemingly neverending. The sad thing is, I suspect we will be moving things many more times.  Either moving things from storage to the booth, or slowly moving things we don't need from our house.  We are trying to lighten our load. Moving, moving moving. The last move was quite the ordeal , and I do not want to have another "adventure" like our family move here. Never, ever again. All these moves now I hope will make our next family move much easier than it was last time....

Huh? Wha? "You look like you need some water" she said to me. I stopped in my tracks. Did I look that bad? photo courtesy of world pics dot com Kosovo   Yes, I did misplace my bottle of water 4 hours ago. Okay, I hadn't showered that morning either, so my hair was a little frizzy, and perhaps the makeup I put on had worn off with the sweat as I was unloading boxes and unpacking and tagging.    "You need to eat something too" she said again. Well, yes I didn't eat any breakfast that morning, and that doughnut hole just gave me sugar rush 2 hours ago. But was it that obvious?    "We have a drinking fountain over there by the men's room, you know." No, I didn't know that!!!    I have spent the last 2 weeks, almost every day full, moving our business out of its downtown location. My days, each one, for these past 2 weeks has looked something like this: get up, coffee, run maybe, clean something in the house, shower, blog, ...

  When will it sink in? Will it sink in? Door Closed photo courtesy of Raige Creations What will I do, now that the move is done?  Even the moving truck is tired. photo courtesy of  Raige Creations The truck was filled once on Monday, and 4 times today. Empty. photo courtesy of  Raige Creations Now I can re-group and focus. But focus on what? 'An Open Road?' photo courtesy of  Raige Creations Well, I suppose the way forward! I can now walk down that road! I can get to the next door, actually pick the next door maybe. photo courtesy Pinterest Just don't let me get caught up in the hallway while I open that next door.

12:01 photo from ClipArtETC 12:01. That's what the microwave said when I went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. 12:01 a.m. I had been laying in bed for about an hour. This, after being woken up from the couch to go to bed because we have another very big day tomorrow. We spent the day packing and organizing the shop downtown.  My business, Blue Rage of Asheville , had a good run in its 8 College St. address.  After a very hard summer, and saying so many times I couldn't count, ' There has to be a better way' , the time had come to let this location go, and go find the the better way. 8 x 10 print by The Love Shop on Etsy I spent all week carefully packing the fragile inventory, making sure all the consignors picked up their inventory, taking pictures of displays, dealing with banks, utilities, etc. Over 30 boxes, and probably 20 pieces of furniture and displays, and oh yes, the track lights and drop down lights, all packed up. Still more to do...

Story of my life.  Oh Crap I'm Late Again Clock My mother was always late. Growing up, w e were never super late, always five or ten minutes late. Not too late to miss much, but always late enough to miss the beginning.  I vowed to not be like that of course. But some things are just inevitable.  As I got older and functioned on my own time, I got to be less late. But still late just the same. I usually made it within the first five minutes of something, and even sometimes right on time. I never did manage to say I was actually early for something.  Rum Point, Grand Cayman Then I moved to the Caribbean, where late is the norm. Everything moved slower, perhaps the heat and beauty slowed everyone down. It was perfectly acceptable to be late. In fact, if you were on time or even (gasp) early, you were often all alone and then eyed suspiciously by those who showed up at the assumed proper start time, fifteen to thirty minutes after the stated time. Buffal...