Getting Things Tidy

Well, my first week of training is done. The paperwork is out of the way now, and next week will be all outside working with the buses, learning to drive (or proving we can) and relearning how to pass a pre-trip examination. It always counts as relearning, because for a test you have to be very specific, touch bus parts as you talk about what exactly you are looking for, and usually you have to say things in a certain way. Each county or district or state can be slightly different than any other one you happened to work in, so it pays to just pretend like you have no idea what you're doing so your brain can keep the new script it needs to pass this time.

I've managed to make a new friend, and he is a very nice guy who lives in town. He has agreed to pick me up and drop me off on his way to and from the far terminal, and we have one other rider who has no car also. Jamie made the great suggestion that since I'm still itching for regular bike rides, that I see about riding to someplace to get picked up instead of just waiting at the apartment complex. It turns out that the other guy lives right near the West terminal, so everyone said it was fine if our chauffeur picks us both up there. That way I still get about a 3 mile ride. It is lovely in the morning and cool, and after staying outside all day practicing pre-trips or driving around I'm sure the afternoon heat won't bother me. I usually only get hot after I've stopped pedaling and making my own wind by moving forward.

I'm trying to tidy up the apartment for a tour video, because I really am not a slob and I don't want to look like one in a video. I successfully cleaned our bedroom this morning and organized my desk. My desk serves double-duty as computer station and crafting area, so I had to make sure it was easy to slip my laptop away and pull my sewing machine into use. I have a handy keyboard tray to be the laptop's home.

Today after organizing my desk, I promptly put it to use in fixing several things in my new clothes. My turquoise shirt-dress did not survive it's first wash in the apartment machines. The evil thing tried to rip off my collar ties. (The dryer tries to eat bra straps and drawstrings.) I had just about decided that I didn't like the bowtie collar anyway, but being half ripped-off was more of an emergency-fix situation. The ties didn't remain flat and liked to get all wonky. I don't have an iron to constantly fix them, so today the neckline of the dress became plain.
I removed the hem in my lovely brown pants as well. It turns out that even if you think your fabric was washed, if you have a doubt- wash it! My pants have shrunk slightly. I'm not certain if they are tight enough to be uncomfortable, but they are definitely too short! I only had 1" tucked under for a hem and I'm not certain if that will even be enough to reach the ground now. Pre-wash your fabric!
Lastly, I just had to add a pocket to my lime green jumper. I love having a dress, but I simply cannot go without a pocket for my cell phone. I refuse. Instead of exterior pockets like the turquoise dress has, I simply split the side seam and made an inside pocket that goes across the whole side-front section of the princess seam. Seems to have worked perfectly, though it was a pain to put it in there.

I think I'd like to review each pattern and share my thoughts on them in case anyone else would like to make clothes. I know my mom is interested in at least one, and so I've made sure to cut out my fabric by folding the tissue paper instead of just cutting along my size line. I'll post more pictures of each outfit too, because my phone didn't get a great photo to share with everyone, and I'm very happy with the start of my new home-made wardrobe.

Have a great weekend everybody!