Last Blog Post of the Year

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!

Okay, dokey, I think I got it now...

This is the progress on "The Clock" as of this morning. I sit and stitch for hours, it seems like I'm not getting anywhere. I guess it's because I'm watching the clock too much!


And this is the dirty dog chair with Trey in it. I cover it with a sheet whenever I get a chance to sit in it. (Which isn't much) When I do sit in it, I'll stitch for a while and then fall asleep. It's comfortable.
Now, I gotta see how the camera and I did!

Post Christmas

Christmas has come and gone...I don't need to tell you that, Y'all know it. I am so happy with this Christmas. Most years I have this feeling of regret, or guilt, I don't know what it is. Like I didn't do enough. I didn't try hard enough. Whatever. I guess I am over that phase of my life. I told the girls..."No presents this year...please. If you want to give, give of yourselves." The girls, in their twenties still think of themselves as what they have earned and can afford to spend. They out did themselves this year.
I gave my youngest a 104 piece Mechanics tool set. (She is studying automotive courses in college, and rebuilding her own 1974 Chevy truck)
I gave my middle daughter the full set of the large paperback "Twilight" series. She and I were in the book store one day a month or so ago and she said she wanted to read it all.
I gave my oldest tickets to the Tech Museum and money for lunch. They have this dreadful exhibit of a plasticized human body all cut up and showing everything! She is studying to be a Surgical Technologist and is really interested in this kind of stuff. I knew she wanted to go. I figured she'd be good and hungry after viewing this (ick) body, so lunch money.
What they gave me? A brand new Canon PowerShot Camera. My old digital camera was just about done with it's life. My oldest daughter knew this and told her sisters that is what they were doing for me. I am more than delighted.
What was the best thing is that we all got together and had a nice dinner together, no fighting, no nasty remarks about each other.
Everyone was just tickled with their gift and that made me really happy.
Now I can show you what else I have been up to.....

Well, that is when I figure out how to manage this thing...more later!

Spooning

I read this post this morning, and it touched me. I just wanted to pass it along. I hope I have all the links done right! It is such a small thing to do, but it is such a big way to show support to someone. I copy and pasted the following message with permission from Megan at Undomestic Diva.


"Spooning
Let me ask you one little question: If you could do something to make a person feel better - a person you could otherwise not help in her situation of unfortunate circumstance beyond her or your control - would you?

Think about it. We've all been there. We've all had someone in our life - whether a close family member or friend or perhaps it's just someone we know through the blogosphere or Twitter world or maybe even it's someone whose story we heard from someone who heard it from someone else... but somehow, it touched us, it haunted us, it made us feel helpless and it kept us scratching our heads and wondering What can I do? leaving us helpless because sometimes, in this life, we don't always have the chance to fix things for others. No matter how badly we want to.

So again, If you could do something to make a person feel better - a person you could otherwise not help in her situation of unfortunate circumstance beyond her or your control - would you?

:::


I have a friend (and chances are, she's your friend too - or at least acquaintance) who could use a little cheer. She's had multiple surgeries recently (she lost 13 inches of her colon, her gall bladder, her uterus, her ovaries and cervix) and finally after several emergency hospitals stays was diagnosed with Lupus.

I can't fix her. I would LOVE to be able to fix her. The next best option is to try and bring her happiness in any way I can. And I'm not talking in the form of money or food or CLICK MY PAYPAL BUTTON RIGHT HERE sort of way. This idea, my friends, is far more creative and unique and I hope you'll help me help her make this happen.

In an effort to keep this as low-key and not-so-obvious to my friend I'm not naming or linking you to her blog but instead I'm sending you HERE to read the back story, to help this friend of ours, through the giving of spoons.

Yes, spoons. (The full story is here - a bit lengthy but worth the read.) A spoon from your kitchen drawer, a spoon from a gift shop, a spoon from anywhere, it doesn't matter. That's all. It's rather simple, really.

I'm asking you to:

- Send a spoon (address information here)

- Pass along this information on your blog (you can copy/paste this if you would like)

- Tweet/RT this post to pass along the message

And you will have spread the cheer I was talking about. We can't cure diseases. Sometimes, it's hard (at least for me) to even convey the right sentiments in a tweet or email to the ones we're thinking good healing thoughts for. But this? This is a start.

xoxo"

Oh my!

It's thirty freakin' pages long my friends! Thirty freakin' pages!
My clock...the last post?
See Ya sometime in the future!

It's About Time

Fractal 267

Finished size:
14 count: 21.5" x 22.25”
Stitches: 300w x 310h


Sorry about the small-ish picture. I was tickled that I could get anything at all. If you want to see a bigger picture of it google cross stitch fractal #267. It will be under xs-collectibles.

This is about a cross stitch project I have been mooning over for a year. I have plans for it. It will probably take me most of next year to finish it completely. I am going to make it a clock! Yes...can you believe that? A Clock! I just thought it would look cool up over my fireplace. I will have to make some adjustments, like changing the colors where the hands are, so the hands are not there. I am going to have a shadow box frame made so that I can enclose the whole thing behind glass. Then there will be the actually hands I do put on it. They need to be special.

I'm doing it on simple white, 14 count Aida, the image will be 21-1/2" by 22-1/4". I couldn't decide between the 14 and 18 counts, but the store decided for me, they didn't have a big enough piece of 18 count for the project. It'll be easier for me to stitch on the 14 count anyway. Besides it'll be a more substantial piece in my front room with the 14.

I can't wait to get started. I have about a week to go before the charts get here. I picked up all the floss and the Aida yesterday, so I think while I am waiting I will sew a grid on my cloth, to keep the counting more accurate on my part.

I don't think I have been this excited over a project for a while!

My Big Brave Dog, Trey

I know, that for about the first three years of a shepherd's life, that they are not the bravest of creatures. The ones that the police have are trained while they are young, to go into dangerous situations and to not react adversely when they hear loud bangs and such.
Well, my dog is a sheherd. He has not been trained. Much. He sits and lays down. He drops things things he is not supposed to have on command. He's getting good. But brave? I can't teach him brave. He will have to grow into that.
Last night, some of my "favorite" neighbors decided to celebrate the 4th of July again. For about an hour, we would hear the loud popping of firecrackers and the shrill whistles of Piccolo Pete. I hate it. Apparently, so does Trey. The other two dogs barked to ward off the big bad noise. But Trey? He disappeared. I didn't see where he disappeared to for a while. But then...I spotted him.
(Please don't judge the mess in these pictures. I have animals...they make messes. And kids, who don't believe in cleaning.

Ok. wha...?

This afternoon when I left work, I got up the road about a half a mile when the traffic started backing up. Then I noticed no cars coming in the other direction. Which can only mean one thing.
Accident.
So I grabbed my patience cap out of the glove compartment,(does anyone keep actual gloves in those?)and wished I could get up to the next stand of trees and sit to wait this out in the shade.
The accident happened in the south bound lane, I was going north. It looked as though someone wasn't paying attention to the red light and really clobbered the car in front of her/him. Sucks. What sucks worse is that when the medics opened, or rather pryed, the door open on the car doing the hitting, a dog escaped and ran out into the (thank God) stopped traffic.
Being the animal lover I am, I joined two other people in the lets get the dog campaign. It took a half an hour and two leashes. I just happened to grab my dog's leash out of the truck just in case. The dog ran north away from the accident for about 1/4 mile. This is where I joined in. I pulled off the road, locked up my truck and started herding the dog back to the site of the accident. One lady stopped to help. She shut off her car and the dog acted as if it wanted to get in her car, but she had her baby in the car and was reluctant. (can't say as I blame her) The dog ended up crawling under her car and we were able to get the leashes on her, and pull her out.
She was slightly hurt, and scared to death. She wanted to bite us.
Another woman drove by us and slowed down to tell us that there was a blue truck up the road with a dog in it going crazy. I said,"Oh thanks, that would be my crazy dog. He hates me being out of his sight. He is safe, this dog is not."
Then I got to wondering...how would she know to stop and tell us about the blue truck/dog? And then why would she tell us about the blue truck/dog? I suppose she thought we were just out saving dogs today.
I took that as my cue to leave, before the humane society decided I was abusing my dog. (Believe me, he was not suffering) Since the dog from the accident was in good hands (one of my customers was there with her and going to take her to the vet) I left and got me and my dog home.
If I ever find out what happened with this dog I will let you all know. Hopefully, everything will be okay for all involved. BTW...the dog's name was Breezy. One of the cops asked the owner as they were getting them out of their car. I am hoping they let them know that Breezy was being taken care of. One less thing for them to worry about.

*I found out today that the dog and her owner are fine...shaken badly, but not injured. I guess rear ending someone in a Mercedes is a good thing! (yeah...sure) I was just happy to hear that all involved are good.

My Public Service Announcement

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — An ominous theme has emerged from the wreckage of a deadly pipeline explosion in California: There are thousands of pipes just like it nationwide.



Please.

Don't let this happen to you. This explosion happened just ten miles from me. Just on the other side of the hill. I pass by this neighborhood at least once a week. Between four and seven people died. Several people were hurt, some extremely. 57 or so houses were totally destroyed, others were damaged to one extent or another. All the people in this neighborhood, their friends and families lives have been irrivocably changed. Forever. I know it affected me. I have no ties here, I just pass by.

This was caused (allegedly) by our major gas company's inability to take care of aging pipelines. They were told in the weeks leading up to this horrific event that there was a gas leak, because plenty of the people in this neighborhood smelled gas. They didn't do enough.
We are not protected like we think we are.
Write to your utility copmpanies and demand they take care to inspect and if need be repair their aging equipment. I do not want to hear that some of my blogger friends have met with a tragic event such as this.

My Countdown Begins Again

I finally stepped foot back into the room at WeightWatchers. I had to. HAD to. I'm getting ridiculous. Really. I gained nine pounds since January. That is one pound per month! Damn! I can't do that. If I continued to gain a pound a month by the time I am 60 (in two years and eight months) I'd be another 32 pounds heavier and that much closer to my grave. My feet have started bothering me again, my hips hurt at night when I just want to sleep. I just want to sit around, I don't want to move, I don't even like having to get up to get myself food anymore! (That's bad.)
My psychologist told me the last time I talked to her that she was going to start monitoring me and my weight. I talked to her on the 26th last month and she told me to get to WW that week. I put it off til today. Of course.
I didn't really want to even go today. I put it off until I absolutely had just enough time to get there. I just hate leaving the house. My whole weekend was cut short because Of some errands I had to do, which meant I had to leave the house. I need to get past this mindset. I am too comfortable just laying or sitting around here. The fact that I have no energy is a big factor in not getting up and doing or going anywhere.
So. I will try again. The meeting leader told me not to beat up on myself. Just remember I am human. And keep. coming. back.
So I am going back to being whole on the disappearing act over there to the right. Come back next week and see if I did any good!

A little project I've been doing.

I found the pattern for this somewhere. It's all over the internet, so am I. I browse at work when I'm not supposed to. I fell in love with all the possibilities of the color combinations a quilt could be made with. I just started grabbing fat quarters off my material shelves and matching up the colors to see what I liked. I don't know how many I will make before I put them together and make an actual quilt, but I can wait! The next one will be maybe blues and seagreens, and the one after that may be all black and white, because I reall, really like the look of the black and white one.
Anyway, now you know I haven't fallen off the earth some where. I've just been in my craft room...
Have a great week you all!

So Far, Not So Bad.

MD has been home from New Mexico for less than twenty four hours. Of course, she is happy to be home, back in familiar surroundings and away from some Ungodly types, including her dad who claims to be a born again kind of person. Yea...right. I have never known a true Christian to ask and talk like that!
Picking her up was pretty darned easy, even driving to downtown San Francisco. She only waited five minutes for me. The bus depot had moved in the two months she was gone! I went to the old location, because you can't get through to the customer service number at any time of the day or night. She got dropped off and then found out where she was from the old depot and got over there lickety split. It worked out all and all.
This morning she got up got dressed, sat down at the computer and put applications in at five different job places. She got a call back from one place right away and went to an interview this afternoon. She called a bit ago and told me she has an appointment for a second interview. That is a good sign.
BUT, she has decided to hang out with a couple of friends, so that could be bad. I can't make decisions for her and I can only suggest what she should and shouldn't do. The rest is up to her.
At least for the most part she is headed in the general direction of right!

The Other Shoe ALWAYS Has To Drop

I. HAVE. HAD. IT. UP. TO. HERE!!!!!

Why?!? Why?!? Do I need to put up with this? O.M.G.

I just got a call from MD back in New Mexico. She was crying. She's been calling Saturday nights to check in. That's when the calls are free. So I thought it was odd that she call me in the middle of Tuesday. I should have known. Things blew up for her and her dad back there. Of course, dad was at the helm. He is always at the helm when things blow up. That is why he is my EX.
Apparently, he got into it with the people they were staying with over the people's dogs. (I'm a if you are being put up in my house, you deal with my fixtures, even if those fixtures are my dogs kind of person) You don't "get into it with me about my dogs" Unless of course, my dog(s) piss on your tuxedo jacket a half hour before you are going to a piano concert...in this case, that isn't the case.
He got kicked out of the house...to the tune of the cops would be called if he showed his face. Ever. Again.
He told MD to sit tight, he'll drum up some other poor souls who will take them in. (not his words exactly) Well, now, one of the people at the house where they were living, had told MD that she would drive her to a job interview this morning, but decided she was a dink and couldn't be bothered because of the aforementioned high drama from MD's dad.
MD went ballistic and packed up their toilet paper (? - don't ask) Then gave a portion of it back when asked, but proceeded to go and tear up a stuffed animal that belonged to one of the residents there. (don't laugh, you are getting the story exactly as I was told it)
Now, she is kicked out.
Dad secured a place temporarily with a couple who are friends of his. They used to live here close to me. They are retired and had moved to New Mexico to RELAX.

Well, the phone call went downhill with MD. I told her to get to the post office and put in a change of address to here and have her dad get her back here. She's trying to sober up and doesn't need to learn his stupid ass dry drunk ways. I really don't need or want to deal with her, but I cannot for the life of me figure what else to do. I told her to do the change of address because she JUST got her unemployment straightened out and was going to be getting her first checks from them. ACK!!!
Now, she will have to wait some more. It's been two months since she started her claim.

The dad calls me back and started in on his, "Oh did she tell you this, and that and I told her this and that." "She's not the victim here, we are all responsible. We know this." "I told her to keep her mouth shut."
I wonder why someone didn't tell him to keep his mouth shut...where does anyone think she is learning this from?

Well, let me tell you. After listening to the same freaking bullshit I listened to for eight years when we were married I BLEW UP!
I told him I was sick of him giving up every time things got a little tough. I told him he needed to grow the eff up and deal with it. I used some very colorful language here and there.

MD just called me back to tell me that she will be in San Francisco tomorrow night at 7:30, the dad had just gone out and bought her a bus ticket here.
I feel so bad for her. Yes, I know that a lot of what has happened to her in the last six years is her bad choices, decisions and actions, but she had nothing to go by but what her dad had taught her. She idolized him before and especially after he and I divorced, so she would never listen to me.
I am so done with him and now I think she is too.

Summertime...

Here on the central coast of "sunny" California, summer is as it was years ago when I was in school. Foggy most days and then on the other days it was drizzling. Our summer weather comes in September and October, when, for me, it is unbearably hot.
My OD has abandoned me for warmer climates. She went to Clearlake in between semesters. I love it! My house is quiet and drama free. Except for the DOG DRAMA. There's plenty of that
YD and her boyfriend have been by the house almost every day. I think she doesn't trust me alone. I might get into trouble. I like when they stop by. Her boyfriend gets out the lawn mower and mows my weeds for me. Then he waters them.
Work is slowing down again. People are spending their hard earned bucks on back to school supplies, not hardware. Although I did upgrade my newest department. The office and school supplies. I brought in pencil boxes and pouches, and some brighter colored binders. I have every conceivable style of pen and pencil imaginable.
I also brought in sewing stuff. Just a little endcap's worth of goods. Stuff that if you were to sit down to do a project and found you were out of something...hand needles, thread, crochet hooks or knitting needles, snaps, hooks, etc. I had fun deciding what to bring in.
Next week I am adding Testor's Model paints to my list of art supplies in the art department. (I'm just having a great time spending my boss' money!)
Today I plan on altering my OD's new scrubs for her. She had to buy a larger size to fit every where it needed they fit, but they are a little too big in some places. She needs to scrubs for the next semester.
Since she has been gone I have done a little deep cleaning in places around the house. Now the house is absolutely cleaned and I can sit down and do the sewing. I may even get to some sewing that is more fun than necessary
It just cracks me up, because she is always telling me that "I" need to pick up after myself more often. It seems since she isn't here the house stayed clean once I cleaned it. Hmmm...wonder who needs to pick up after herself more often??? (Hint: Her dirty clothes are still in the bathroom, mine are all washed, dried, folded and put away)
WOW! What a long and boring post this has turned into. Oh well, it is the way things are around here. I am loving the peacefulness of this house right now. It's nice.

So many things

Last month was a whirlwind of stuff. Wait! Last month wasn't May!
Let's see...May and June were whirlwinds. Okay, that's better.
And here we are, in the throws of July.
I have been sick for seven of the eight days of July. Today, my oldest daughter yelled at me for not going to work. I have been at work all of fourteen hours this month. Counting today I would have perhaps 46 hours of work, if things were normal. I had taken off Saturday and Sunday so I would have four days to spend the 4th at Clearlake with my dad. I got sick Friday before I left and took part of that day off work. Wednesday I went in to work and lasted all of two hours. Today I didn't even try. So the kid is telling me she doesn't want to hear about it when I can't pay the bills. I told her I was sure she wasn't worried about me paying bills when she was off gallivanting with friends for extended weekends and camping trips to Southern Ca. or buying bridesmaids dresses when she's on unemployment, or the gifts she bought for friends and their kids when the utility bill was due. Mean words. I am feeling mean.
Then after she came out of her room, she was all, "What meds have you been taking Mom? Are you drinking water? You need to keep yourself hydrated." I replied with a "Harrumph!" and she said, "I'm only trying to help!" Yes, I feel so helped.
The lake would have been great, except that I couldn't eat much. When I did it was all I could do to get to the bathroom on time. It was hot, I didn't sleep well. But I did get to spend some time with my dad. My youngest daughter along with her boyfriend, his daughter and her friend had fun playing in the water and eating Popsicles. (Their basic diet for the weekend) Really it was a better weekend than staying here and listening to all the neighbors shoot off their illegal fireworks in an attempt to burn down the town.
The new dog had some fantastic firsts this weekend. I was really pleased at how he has come along. He was loose...actually free to run, run, run all weekend. We have an acre up at the lake. It isn't fenced in, but the dogs can roam without running into trouble. He wasn't really into swimming at first, but learned to love it. All the other dogs play in the water and fetch balls, so Trey learned what fun that was. He met a few other dog friends and got along with them all really well. I learned that at times, it does take a community to train a dog. Everyone worked at his training which made him understand that much more that he is a loved member of the family and in turn behaved as such. It even went well for him when he grabbed the whole chicken off the counter right next to my dad. He was soon surrounded by everyone as someone pryed his mouth from around it. The chicken still tasted good, and now we have another story to tell.
Oh Yea!
In other news...MD's father finally stepped up to the plate and took over parenting of MD! It only took him twenty four years. Better late than never, as they say.
She had moved out, stayed with a girlfriend, and at the beginning of May got herself into more trouble than ever. She ended up coming back here much to my chagrin. The dad stepped in. He has now moved her to New Mexico to a rehab house about an hour and a half from where he lives. She will be there for six months to a year. She seemed to be okay with it. In fact, from what the dad said the last time I talked to him, she was excited about starting her new life! I know before I took her to the bus depot on the 29th of June, she was looking up jobs that were available there and looking at housing. I am happy for her that she has this opportunity to be away from the influences of friends here who are not really good friends. I can't wait to see how her new future unfolds. She has such great potential, I just couldn't get her to see it.
I think that should be it for now. I need to go see if there is something I can put in my stomach that will stay there. Wish me luck.

Oh No You Di-nt!

For Atreyu, it's balls off Wednesday.
I was up at 4AM this morning. Played hooky from work and took my newest family member to the free Spay/Neuter Mobile Clinic. I was the third person there at five this morning! The woman on the phone thought I was nuts when I said I would be there at five. Who's nuts now?!? (Not Atreyu)
I waited two and a half hours, then at 7:30 the mobile animal hospital pulled up. The vets came out and set their hospital up...leveling it, putting the chocks in front and in back of the tires. Getting out the steps and clipboards, lining us up in the order we arrived. About 8:30 they started calling each individual dog's name. When we were called we loaded up and went through the question and answer period. Most of my answers were, "I dunno" Geez...I just got him, I didn't ask enough questions when I took him. That's just how I roll.
We tried to put a muzzle on him, but that wasn't happening. The vet just asked me and the other vet to distract him and she popped him a tranquilizer shot. Then it was time for me to load him up in the cage and be on my way.
I cannot believe how attached I have become to this dog in such a short amount of time. I kept missing him once I got home and kept looking at the clock to see if it was time to go pick him up.
Just before three we got in the truck and went and got him. The vet explained everything to me...for all the "just in cases". He was happy to see me, but soon realized that, "Wait, you're the one who brought me here to this!" GAH!
We're home, he is passed out in the middle of the floor, far away from the dog bed we put down for him. I think he doesn't care. He's tired or depressed, or maybe a little of both. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Well...

After much searching and pressing buttons and linking to www help sites, I finally called India and they helped me. I have to say Ashish Kumar was a wonderful woman who took me through the problem of why my computer was not talking to my camera. It was all on the computer side. Some fouled programs or something. Ashish took over my computer remotely (this feature still blows me away) and cleaned up the little glitches here and there and my computer is running fine now.

The picture above is the little Kindle cover I made a few months ago.

I've been busy with many things lately. I manage to read everyone's blogs, and comment on most. I just haven't been able to sit and type out anything.

One of the things keeping me busy these days is this little guy...


Meet Atreyu.
My YD and I were looking at a car in San Jose for her boyfriend. (A car that we immediately decided against) The family who had the car also had this dog who was chained up and going nuts. I kept going over and petting him and talking to him. The kid who was selling the car said they were moving and couldn't take the dog..."Do you want him?" Of course. I never think these things through to the end...I just jump at the chance to have a new cute little guy in my household.
Yes, he is cute, little he is not. He has never been socialized. Never had his shots. Was never neutered. All he was trained to do was sit. ACK!!!
Next week we get to go get him "trimmed" if you know what I mean. He will have to get all his shots before then. I think once that is done and he doesn't hate me anymore for it, he will calm down a bit. Then we can start the real training. He is learning some now. He no longer jumps on us. He has learned to hop right into the back of my truck. As long as the days are cool, he will be sitting in the back of my truck while I am at work. It sounds cruel, but it's that or he spends his day howling in a small kennel at home. This way he gets to walk a few times a day and I am there to give him fresh water and loving. I have to cleanout the big kennel so he can live in there when the weather warms up. (Can you say, I gotta get it done today?) He just can't be loose to do as he pleases at home. He likes to find things and chew them up. So far, he has eaten some of my yarn, a few pairs of socks and a wrist brace.
He's about thirteen months old. Since he is of the Shepherd (Belgium) line, he will reamin immature for another few years. It will take a bit of work to get him to stop eating stuff. I am thinking that he will be a good service dog...maybe search and rescue.

Other things to keep me busy are many, many DR appointments. I am still seeing the Psycologist, and then my regular DR because of some allergy and breathing problems I am having. I had chest XRays last week. Still waiting for the results there. And then I had the regular Women's checkups which turned out all clear. (Yea Good!)

My MD is still making bad choices. Actually her bad choices got worse. She is begging me to let her move back home, but I can't do it. She needs to learn that her choices directly affect her life and I should not have to deal with the consequences.

I had better get going on that kennel. That is while it is still cool and hasn't started raining...nice spring we are having here, rain, cold, wind. I think there is going to be a very short summer here this year.

Fort Bragg, California

May 1st was my birthday. So I gave myself a birthday present and took two extra days off from work. My oldest daughter and I drove up to Fort Bragg. (CA) We spent Sat., Sun., and Mon. morning there. We camped. We borrowed my dad's (new to him) 1982 VW Vanagon Westfalia. Talk about road trips!!!
It was fun, relaxing and I got more exercise than I have in a while. We basically looked for places to look at...walked on Glass Beach, which is a long stretch of beach that is literally sea glass tumbled over and over until it is just bigger than regular sand. There are bigger pieces of it too. We are not supposed to take any, so we (ahem) didn't.
We took in an old historic lighthouse. We had to walk a half a mile to get to it. Which meant I walked a mile longer than I normally would. Nice lighthouse.
It was windy the entire time we were there and cold, but it was still more pleasant than working through my birthday!
Today I feel all rested up from my vacation. There's a million and two things to catch up on at work, so I am busy doing that now.
I wish I could tell you I had pictures, but the damned batteries in my camera went dead on me the first day and wouldn't you know, I didn't have spares with me!!!
So typical...

I did it, I did it, I did it!

I love this man.....



My oldest daughter, Lena and I went to see Alice in Wonderland (in Disney Digital 3D, mind you)! I choose this movie, because Of Johnny Depp. I would do (almost) anything for that man.

This is a major development for me. I have not just taken off and done anything like this for years. One problem was my adversion to being in crowds. Add extra noise and a lot of visual movement and I have a reaction of anxiety attacks. Thanks to some sessions with my psychologist and the meds they gave me I was able to finally go out and enjoy a movie.

We did the full movie theater thing. Hot dogs, popcorn, soft pretzels and drinks. The seats were comfortable, the audience polite and quiet...including the forty or so children there! The movie was really good, not great, but of course we all have our own visions of what Alice in Wonderland should be, and that would make the movie different for each and every one of us. The 3D was fantastic. I ducked quite a few times. Jumped a few more. Said WHOA more than usual. It was a great experience. About a half an hour before the end of the movie I found myself wondering when it would end, (not a good sign) but then the storyline picked up again and had me wishing there was a little more time left to the movie.

And then there was Johnny Depp. Like I said before, I love this man. Go see it! We went to a matinee which made it more affordable. I will be doing this again and again and again...

ACK!

It's been a while hasn't it??? Sorry. I was here all the time, I just wasn't present. The past month has been a roller coaster ride of sorts and I have finally gotten myself off the ride...for the most part.

What set me on the roller coaster ride in the first place was a move I HAD to make but was afraid to put into motion. I had to ask my middle daughter to move out. Several people encouraged me to do it. Police, my medical doctor and my psychologist...yes I now have a psychologist, are amongst the encouragers. What I had to do was so hard, but she was not trying to grow up and out of here, she was just partying in her little house in the back and bringing all sort of mankind around. Some of them less than what I would call good citizens. So for my safety and the safety of others who live here, it had to be done.

Of course, taking this step plunged me into a depression, hence the psychologist. She and I have been working together bi-weekly since January actually. I have meds, which is really helping me be level mooded. (is that a real thing?)

I am happy to say that I am happy! For a change. I am feeling as though there is something I can do here at home and out there in the world. I do not have a brain full of chaos. The house is no longer chaotic as well. OD and I will be the only residents for now. We will be able to plan out our schedules of cooking and cleaning and paying bills and buying food and going out and coming in. It will be nice to know what to expect!

This morning I got up and did the usual cup o' java and the computer. I got tired of sitting so went into my craft room and decided on some fabric to make a little cover for my Kindle. The prices for the ones from Amazon are fair, I just don't want to pay those prices. I am making one from materials and things I have around here, so it is kind of "free". I just had to spend some imagination.

I took pictures, and tried to put them on the computer, but the computer and camera apparently had a falling out and aren't speaking. Literally. There is NO communication between the two of them. Awkward! Imagine being the third party in a situation like this...

As soon as I can get the two of them to reconcile I will send along pictures of my creation. I like it. It's really cute.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Crocheted Hats and Shawls

Well, I did get the hats and scarves finished on time...even with a little time left over. BUT...I had to get really sick to do it! I guess those powers that are bigger than me...bigger than all of us, knew I wouldn't be able to get them done on time while working full time and holding down a doctor's appointment a week and a class a week, so scheduled in some time off for me. I came down with some kind of bronchial virus thingy. Doctor told me I could not go to work until my next Monday...which gave me a full seven days with not enough energy to do anything but read and crochet. How very convenient!!!

So here are the two hats and scarves...



This is my daughter "O.D." modeling the hats and scarves. She was kind of excited that I wanted to take pictures of her wearing them to show you all...she's TWENTY NINE tomorrow...sniff, sniff!
The first set was a bugger to crochet. The yarn is beautiful, soft, but "curly". So getting the hook in the right space was, shall we say...challenging? I did it first, somehow knowing that it was going to be a little harder. The pattern itself became a challenge. I had to start over several times. The scarf was made up in my head from the pattern in the hat, so they would match.
The second was a breeze. Still super soft yarn, but not curly this time. The flowers were fun to make. We bought kind of deco patterned antique brass buttons to go in the center of the flowers. I also made up the scarf pattern from the pattern of the hat.
I am excited to find out how much they fetch at auction for my daughter's friend. I am making a hat and scarf set for her, to wear when her chemo treatments start making her hair fall out. I want to keep her warm and give her a little something soft to hang on to when times seem harsh.
In other news...I bought myself a Kindle with some of my income tax return. I L.O.V.E. That thing! I have purchased four books. They cost me $1.00! Two were free, one was $.99 and another was $.01! I have read one and a half of the books so far...thanks to having all that time off. There are a few things I would change on it...if I were smart enough to do something like that. I would suggest to the makers of this great little instrument...make the screen in color and get the voice that reads to me less robotic. I am sure someone in that company is working on those very things anyway. When they come out with it I will upgrade. Now I can rehome all my books (The ones my daughter hasn't already gotten rid of behind my back) I can fit 1500 books on my Kindle...I think that will keep me busy for a few years!
Speaking of Tsunami's.We had a two to three foot tsunami here today. It was bigger in Hawaii from what I hear. We all got to test our emergency systems that were set up after the horrible tsunami a few years back. (I have forgotten where it was) Our systems work well. I am happy about that. Now I just hope we never have to go through a bad tsunami. I also hope no one else has to suffer a devastating enough earthquake to start a bad tsunami ever again. This has been a bad year for quakes already!
Enough of my rambling. Have a great rest of the weekend!

A Nice (much needed) Day Out

So, last week, my oldest daughter asked me if I would crochet a few hats and scarves for a benefit auction. I am never one to turn down an opportunity like that. I love to give, I love to help out, but I am not one to go out and look for something to give or donate. If it falls in my lap I will take it on. (Is that wrong? Or am I being sensible in a weird sort of way?)
I am making two fairly simple hats and matching scarves to be auctioned. Then I will make a third hat and scarf more special. OD has a friend with breast cancer. All the people who know her are doing a benefit dinner and auction. Everyone is donating something to auction off. Since I can make these hats and scarves this will be my contribution. The hat and scarf that I am making special will be for her friend, so that when she has her chemo therapy, she has a nice hat and scarf to keep her warm after her hair starts to go.
OD is buying the yarns that I will use. She got her check so we went to the city (San Francisco) today to her bank. Then she took me out for breakfast at a small restaurant at the beach. I had a Veggie Bagel and coffee, she has a Pesto bagel and coffee. We had a great conversation. I met a friend of hers that she had met at this restaurant a few years ago. He is a local man who hangs out at the restaurant. His speech was slow, but he had a great smile and welcomed me to his home town. OD explained to me later that he had an accident when he was three ears old and had brain damage. He told me a little about his job and a lot about the home he lives in with his parents. It has a mural painted on the outside so that it looks like a jungle. I have often seen the home on my trips down that road. Now I know who lives there.
We had done a little research earlier this morning to see about some yarn shops in the city, so we could go check out the yarns there. We did end up getting the yarn for her friend's hat in the city and I got some Egyptian Cotton thread to experiment with making a grocery bag type project. But we just couldn't find the right colors or sizes of yarns we wanted for the other two sets of hats/scarves. We ended up going to my favorite store...where else? Joanns. We found exactly what we wanted there at a reasonable price. (The yarn we bought in the city was $25 for one set, what we got at Joanns was about half that for two sets!)
We were going to check out the other two stores we found out about in the city, but I started my anxiety crap half way through browsing the first store and we decided not to spend any more time there. On the way back to MY store I relaxed some and being in Joanns is familiar, so I was fine after that.
I did have a fun time. We had some good conversations and I met Peter (who put my life in prospective). I like the city a little, and I haven't been there except for a few minutes in the last 6 - 9 months. It was nice spending a little more time there today. It helped me out, because I am supposed to be planning fun time for myself. I think I could consider this fun time.
The weather cooperated too. Cloudy, but no rain...which now has started. I just heard the dripping outside. At least it waited til we got home and warmed up the house!
I'll post pictures as I get the hats and scarves done.

Not Just Sitting Idly By

In all the rucus and such that has been going on in my house, I have been busy craftwise. Actually the craft thing has been helping me get past the rucus. I have been working intently on an afghan that I had started about a year ago for my sister's birthday that is in May. I was planning on giving it to her LAST May. She will get it this May. It's darned near complete.


The other crafty was something I picked up again after (notice slightly red face) twenty years! It was a quilt top I had made with my silly little self taught skills and materials I had on hand. It's not a beauty by all means, but I was thinking if nothing else, it'll keep toes warm while watching movies on the couch. (If it doesn't distract the movie watcher from the movie!) I have been doing a little something with the quilt for the last year or so, but never really had the motivation to "just do it". I got my small state income tax refund and thought how better to fix the economy than by spending this little stipend on myself? I ordered a Q-Snap quilting frame which arrived on my door step yesterday. I had a 50% off coupon from Joann Fabrics and so saved $50! I like that. It was easy to throw together and easy to set my quilt up on. Talk about motivation! Now all I have to do is sit down and quilt it! Who knows? Next January I might be warming my cold feet under this quilt! I'll probably do some experimental hand quilting with this, why not have a little fun with it?

Not Really Feeling It

I am so tired of this feeling of whatever I have. It could be the constant rain/wind we've been enduring for the past ten days, that coupled with the battle of the wits here in my house.
I need Springtime, I need summer...I need a deserted island to land myself on.
I'm reading "Codependent No More" Not a great novel or anything escape worthy, but it may give me insight to what is happening in my mind. Maybe it will even help me fix myself.
I wasted my day off today. Went to the doctor to get my blood pressure checked. It was in normal range but high still. I'm on medication for it, so I don't what to say about it. Have to go back in June for the 4 points too high cholesterol count. Whatever. At this point I just throw my hands up. There are people out there with worse problems. When I came home I fell asleep in my chair, in my cocoon (What I now call my bedroom)
OD just wanted to fight with me, because I wouldn't fight with MD. I don't want to fight with anyone. GET IT? She didn't get it. She left instead. It's quiet here now. MD is asleep in her room, because she has to work the graveyard shift. YD is here taking a shower to get ready for her class tonight or is it class tomorrow? Tonight...I think. Wanna get in my face girl (OD) is out with friends or something. She left claiming she would never talk to me again. DRAMA QUEEN!
Who wants to bet she'll be home before midnight? (I do, I do!)
Sorry, I am rambling, incoherent...that's just how I feel. Someday, I may get it back together.
I think I will go back to my cocoon and crochet for a while. I can get lost in that easily enough!
Thanks for listening.

Jealous Much?

I got a couple of requests to update. I know I have been fairly quiet. It's hard to put to paper(?) the stuff I am going through right now. My life is all jumbled up. I just don't want to get started on my pity pot. And...things just aren't settled yet, so I don't even know WHAT to say. Um...around the 28th of February things will be completely changed so I should have something really great to say right about then...sorry...I don't want to jinx things!
As for jealous much...
I just did my taxes and it's all said and done, sent in, all the "i's" are crossed and my "t's" dotted. I get a refund...YaY!!! The IRS doesn't start processing until tomorrow, so I'll be first in line!

Happy New Year!

I went to bed early last night, around 9-ish. I figured that the new year had plenty of chaparones to usher it in without my help. Plus I was tired. Plus I had to get up at OhGawd O'Clock to go to work this morning.
I watched a little TV, and then fell into a nice comfy, warm, dreamy sleep. At straight up 11:58 the neighbors let off a few M-80's. At 11:59 they let off a few more. (You know, just in case someone didn't hear the first ones) At midnight the floodgates of boomers opened. I am so glad that I let others usher in this brand new year!
But you know? I woke up a half hour before my alarm. I feel rested, and ready to tackle my day. I will probably fall asleep at work. I don't know many people who are going to be coming in to buy new hammers to build things today. Correct me if I am wrong, but the pounding of hammers on New Years Day? Not something I think is a good mix. Nor that neat sound you get when you turn on a drill. Hardware is noisy, I am thinking there should be lots of quiet going on today.
I hope your day is wonderful!