Small successes - January 8, 2026

Yesterday, I decided to educate myself on how to make a costume jewelry ring.  Ten or twenty years ago, when I first started fooling with jewelry-making, I tried to make rings but never produced one that anyone even wear to a cat fight.  I still have a load of jewelry supplies, so I fired up some videos and had a go at making a ring.

The first ring turned out so-so.  It's not perfect, but I'd wear it.  I made 5 or 6 more within a couple of hours - one for each granddaughter and their mother, guessing at sizes - and then tried a different design, which did not work out as well.  I'll try again today, once I get a move-on.  

Before I can play with jewelry, I've got to go mail something and pick up a grocery order.  I WILL NOT STOP AT THE HOBBY STORE ON THE WAY.

I messed with jewelry until nearly 10:00 last night.  When I realized what time it was, I did my night-time routine, then as I was about to get in bed, I went back to the kitchen for a drink of water.  My Kindle - the thin, paper-white kind, about 1/4" thick - was in my hand.  I laid it on the counter by the stove while I got my water.

The counter by the stove doesn't fit snugly against the stove.  Our original stove was a drop-in.  When it went kaput, we installed a free-standing stove.  Had to cut the counter for the stove to fit.  Our cutting was not precise, and we ended up with a 1/2" gap between the counter and the stove.  I keep intending to get new countertops, but haven't gotten around to it.  I do all of my meal prepping at this counter; the crack is littered with dried-up vegetable pieces and dust bunnies that nobody can get to without moving the stove.  

When I reached for my Kindle, I somehow knocked it into this crack, a feat I probably couldn't reproduce if I tried.

I shouted a truly nasty cuss word and started looking for something with which to fish the Kindle out of the crack.  Swiffer duster?  I stuffed it in.  Nope, too short.  To make matters worse, when I withdrew the Swiffer, the fluffy duster pad stayed firmly in the crack.  Flyswatter?  Nope, too short and too flimsy.  A yardstick finally worked, but it took some hands-and-knees doing.  

The Husband was on the porch during this battle.  He had heard my nasty cuss word and had watched the shenanigas through the back door window.  About the time I got the Kindle out and was hauling myself to my feet, with a big shout of "Good GRIEF!"), he came in grinning, and when he saw that it was the Kindle that I'd been fishing for, he doubled over laughing.  

I didn't think it was all that funny.  ;)