Am I showing my age, or just a bit of class?

*
So, I went to lunch with my BF today, to a nice place that would be categorized as a sports bar/restaurant, but a rather upscale one. Lots of beautiful dark wood, well shined brass, and pool tables with the balls placed just so with 2 pool queues crossed on each table. There are TVs lining the walls, high up, and at least 25 of them or more. We've been there before so we knew what to expect and what we were looking for to eat.

I wasn't aware that our waitress would be on the menu. At least she sure looked like she was offering herself up for something unsavory.

I know I am middle aged. I know I have kids the same age as most of the wait staff there. I tend to be conservative about some things but in no way would anyone who knows me consider me a prude. Still - I was offended by what this girl was wearing. And no, my BF did not get whiplash trying to watch her, he is so much smarter than that and wasn't nearly as aware of this girl as I was.

In the past the wait staff has always worn - hm-m-m, I guess I don't know what they have worn. Which to me is a good thing. I like a friendly server, I don't expect them to be seen and not heard, engaging is good. But I don't expect their clothing to be distracting, or their voice or their hair.

Today we had a waitress who was in her early 20's I'm guessing, with a fabulous body. Yes of course I'm jealous, but that wasn't what influenced me. She was wearing very low pants, cargo pants, with all the big pockets. They were low enough that the elastic band of her underpants could be seen all. the. way. around. She was wearing a top that was so tight I thought it resembled bicycle shorts except made of some material that was so thin I was afraid it would just shred from the sheer pressure of her breasts pushing outward from within.

Did I mention her back tattoo? I have nothing against them, I have a small one on the small of my back as well, no big deal. But her shirt was short enough that we had a full view of her bellybutton in the front and her whole back tattoo and those 2 little back dimples that meant if the pants moved down another quarter of an inch we would have had full butt crack exposure in the room. My salad just didn't quite taste the same with those pants swishing back and forth past our table teetering on the butt crack.

She did decide to sit on a stool for a few minutes, I believe that was right after she tried to pants a co-worker. Oh yes she did. She yelled across the room to someone else inquiring as to whether he had made out with someone she knew apparently. She let him know that usually when she asked that questions the guys answered in the affirmative.

Luckily I could not see her from the back when she was sitting, but she did treat all the fellas in the room to a stunning display when she raised both arms in a luxurious stretch, ended by intertwining her fingers behind her neck and arching her back. Amazing.

It didn't look like she combed her hair, although that may have been a style, I'm not sure. Her hair looked dry and teased, and it was pulled back into a loose pony tail which was neither quite at the back of her head and not quite to the side. A bit off kilter. She topped it all off with a baseball cap which made the whole look - um - trashy-fabulous? Ugh. Not appealing to me.

This girl was actually a very good server in terms of keeping an eye on things, refilling drinks without having to be asked, etc. And maybe she gets better tips from some of the guys dressing like that, but it was enough to make me think twice about going back because I found her so unpleasant. To me, she what was could be described using one word. Her dress, her demeanor, and her speech were all inappropriate.

Am I the only one offended by things like that? To the degree that I may reconsider going to that restaurant again? And to be clear, if I had seen her at the mall, or walking down the street or at a movie theater I would not have given her a second thought. But as my waitress? I didn't like it.
*

Some days I waste my time looking back...

*
.....and feeling bad about some of the choices I have made. I need to come to terms with those choices and how they have affected my life. And maybe I need to hang this up in a few places where I will see it every day. Just a reminder to put my big girl panties on - and deal with it.

More Graphics at pYzam.com

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She's 78 years old and uses email

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This is an email I received and it really only needs to be sent to one person in my address book.

Dear Mom,

I must send my thanks for sending me the email about the roach bug poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time. But it’s a good kind of broke.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program. I am so excited!!

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes. No wonder I never got the beautiful pink and fabulous Barbie car I wanted when I was a kid. No email to reinforce those prayers!

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer buy gasoline without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm pumping gas. Thanks Mom.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who make those products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans .

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

I never ever use margerine because it is only one molecule away from plastic.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face...disfiguring me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because you told me I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS. To think I have been risking my life for years!

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer answer the phone (you tried to call? Sorry) because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore, and Uzbekistan .

I no longer use the rest-room in any restaurant because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

And thanks to your great advice, I won't ever pick up a $5.00 bill dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

And thank you so much, for letting me know to call 911 IMMEDIATELY should I find myself in my bathtub, submerged in ice and missing my kidneys. I would not have known what to do otherwise.

Now Mom, if you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.

OH! And if you send this email to enough people something really cool will pop up on your screen after you hit enter!! Just wait Mom, you’ll see!!

I’m sorry, one more thing. I know all of this to be true because you checked it all through Snopes.com before you sent any of it to me which means it must be the God’s honest truth.

I really appreciate it Mom.

Love,

Your Daughter
*

Yeah, this again.

*
In cruising around the Internet peeking in on people's lives through their blogs, I am somewhat alarmed at how often I find people, mostly women, talking about sadness and hopelessness. Not just - oh I'm having a really crappy day, but - how am I going to face another day? Why am I here, and is this all there is?

I know those feelings well. I know the feeling of being at the bottom of a well looking up to the circle of light above - just knowing there is absolutely no way to reach it. If you feel that way every now and then and it goes away, and you know how it feels to feel joy or excitement or happiness then it may not be a big deal for you.

But if you are hopeless and sad all the time, if you can't see what point there is to anything, or feel you are worthless or so flawed that you can never be loved or love yourself - that's not normal. It.is.not.okay.

If the idea of being considered mentally ill is frightening to you, look at it as being traumatized by your life events, or a chemical imbalance, or being more sensitive than most. However you look at it or label it, please do something. See someone. Talk to a doctor.

In my case, I did talk therapy but in the end it was my meds that saved me. That is not the case for a lot of people and I never want anyone to feel like I am pushing medication. Exercise and the natural endorphins it floods your body with, helps a lot of people. Getting out and facing your fears and sharing them with friends and family, helps others.

Please search for your help. Thyroid problems can cause depression, so can hormonal imbalances. There are all kinds of things that may be causing how you are feeling and you don't have to just accept that's "just the way you are". Go to the Mayo Clinic Online, or Web MD, or Women's Health.gov. Call your doctor or your pastor if that works for you. But please reach out because there is help out there.

Life really can be good, joyous even. Join us. :)
*

Sigh-h-h.

*
Here is the new 'piece of furnace' I got today. I believe it is a gas valve. It's not the heating guys fault, I mean - I'm sure they would make a bunch more money if they said the furnace was just plain broken and had to be replaced. They are being honest when they recommend the furnace be replaced, but still fixing a part that can be fixed to make it work. At least I have a brand new Carbon Monoxide detector right outside my bedroom door, right?


To make myself feel better and to show that I have more things in my life than big rusty appliances, here is a picture of the lovely flowers my lovely BF brought me today. Nope. No reason. Lovely, right?



Oh and this? This is my cranky old man cat, Riley, having a bit of a snack when my back was turned!

Yummy!
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THIS is my life.

*
I know nobody cares about this stuff. But oh my gosh, this is my life! If the power isn't going out the pipes are clogged or .... the furnace pilot won't stay lit. Yes, I said pilot. This - this is my furnace. Isn't it pretty? Yeah, I love it too. Not so much. Let me make one thing clear, I rent. I do not own this lovely piece of machinery. No, I pay rent to light the pilot on this converted oil burning furnace that was put in the house when it was built in the 50's. It really is that old.



There was a heating guy here a week ago because as it started to get chilly in here, I discovered that unlike last year when I just had to re-light the pilot once or twice a day, this year it simply wouldn't stay on once I let up on that red button no matter how long I held it down. I have lit the pilot on this thing so many times I could do it with my eyes closed so I know what I'm doing. It's not me, honest.



This is where the red button is, and behind that rusty metal panel is where the actual flame belches like an angry dragon once it is lit.




These are various thermocouples that have been replaced in the past, one of which was replaced last week as well. The furnace guy told me this furnace is oh - 30 years past it's useful life. He said if he could have found a crack in - well - something I can't remember - he could have told my landlord the unit had to be replaced. But there was no crack, technically nothing dangerous. But again this week, it won't work.



I have to take more time off work which everyone knows is just not my favorite thing to do, uh huh, and come home at noon so I will be here when that van pulls into my driveway and spend my afternoon reading blogs or something while the guy works on the furnace. Ugh, particularly painful. And when the guy is done, I am hoping that this time, oh please please please I will have a brand spanking new furnace and I will sign the invoice without having to pay anything at all.


Who wants to send me good vibes and thoughts or prayers - that tomorrow I can open that closet door and take a picture of a bright and shiny new appliance???


I mean, think about it. If the furnace gets replaced at least it will be one less thing like this I will feel compelled to write about! Send me good thoughts - it's for your own good.


Really.
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Finally

*
I listed the green aventurine and sterling silver necklace in my Etsy shop tonight. Finally. It has literally been months since I have listed anything new. Now all I have to do is keep at it. I took tons of pictures yesterday and this evening, so hopefully I will get at least one or two pieces listed a day for the next week. Uh huh. I'll believe it when I see it too. :)

Now I have to clean up my photography mess, get an order ready to go out, make my lunch and get ready for bed. Hopefully I will be able to get to bed before 1:00 am but who am I kidding? I don't generally move that fast.

My jewelry is why I started this blog but for some reason I got this notion that people would be interested in my electrical problems, my kids, and whether or not I grow chin hairs these days. Okay, I won't stop talking about that stuff, but I really hope to at least do a bit more with my beading. Balance, right? Balance.

I'm going to get up now and listen to my ankles snap crackle and pop as I make my way about my business. They do that all the time now, man, does this aging process ever give up any happy surprises???

I haven't seen any yet!
*

Getting back to it

*
I have been guilty of blogging and not beading, so sitting down and knocking out a few pieces tonight felt really good. I took a few pictures, sorry they are a bit dark but I hung the necklaces on Roberta (my mannequin) and took my pictures next to a lamp with no further preparation or fuss. Will need to do better when I list these in my shop.

This is all citrine chips and onyx. There are small onyx rounds as well as larger faceted ones.

I like the yellow and black, the round beads next to the free form chips.


I love tourmaline and simplicity. This is very simple with tourmaline ovals in 2 sizes, small crystal beads as well as glass pearls and small silver rounds.

Pinks and greens are the main colors.

Silver is fast becoming a focal point in some of my jewelry, and this necklace has a wonderful handcrafted sterling silver flower as it's center piece. I love it! The beads are green aventurine and Swarovski crystals with silver bead caps and small silver rounds.

There are also some great handmade sterling silver woven box beads that are really gorgeous in their own right.

Hopefully I will get these listed in my shop soon, as well as continuing to make new pieces. Christmas is coming and to someone like me that means preparing not only to buy gifts - but to sell them as well!!
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I don't shave my legs

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Before you start picturing my chubby hairy legs, let me explain. I use one of those do-hickys that rips the hair out by the roots - instead of shaving. It hurts a little but in my book, it's worth it.

As I have gotten older, the hair on my legs has become a bit more sparse. And even though my former sister in law pronounced it "gross" I have never shaved my legs above the knee anyway. The gross pronouncement came from a woman who literally has not changed her hairstyle since 1978 and still uses hot rollers, so I was never really worried about her opinion.

My natural hair color before this weird gray thing started happening, went from dark blond to light brown and I never had trouble with overly hairy legs to begin with. Not shaving above the knee was part laziness but also the hair was blond and fine. Who cared? Certainly not me!

After shaving for the better part of my adult life, I switched to the epi-torture thing about 5 years ago. It really does take longer for the hair to grow back and when it does, because it wasn't chopped off - there is no real stubble. Nice. The girls at work were a little disturbed when I made a couple of them feel my leg one day (when I had remembered to use moisturizer) as proof that it was still smooth 5 days after sha - uh - pulling the hairs out with my device. They were impressed.

So on Monday of this week, the furnace guy was coming and I had the day off work. It was a good day to take care of things like epi-hurting myself so I did that and while I was at it ran the thing across my chin and under it as well for good measure. As much as I hate it - since the hair is leaving my legs it does seem to be showing up sporadically in a spot or 2 on my chin. Ah, now that is what I was looking forward to when I thought about middle age!!! Like I was looking forward to any part of it, right?

Today, Thursday, sitting at my desk in my lovely cubicle I felt it. A nice thick hair - no - whisker - growing under my chin. Where I had just run the lawn-yanker a few days before! And.it.was.gray. You know how I knew it was gray? Because I couldn't see it even with my glasses! So as soon as I am done here I will go sit at my make-up mirror using the magnified side and my glasses - and hopefully I will be able to find and remove the offending whisker using the old fashioned manual tweezing technique.

Is it a joke, do you think? You get older, hair not only grows where it's not supposed to, but your eyes get bad so you can't see it without extreme magnification!?! And then to top it off - it comes in gray so you really can't see it?
I'M NOT LAUGHING!
*

Did you ever stop to think ...

*
.... that something like this may not be far off?

Wait - unless of course you are in this country illegally, then this would not apply. This would only happen to those of us who follow all the rules.

~*~

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Comings and goings

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This morning my son left for Florida, to go to his father's wedding. His laptop bag was filled with much more than his backpack, so it's questionable whether or not he actually brought with him everything he needs. Like oh, I don't know, a toothbrush? I can only hope. But the boy has priorities.

I came home from work tonight ready for a bit of a nap. It was a long day at work broken up only by lunch with my BF at a nice Chinese buffet restaurant. That was a lovely interlude between boring and frantic at work, from one extreme to the other.

I was reading a magazine and getting very close to laying down on the couch when the phone rang, which doesn't happen that much around here. Anyone who knows me knows I hate the phone. Hate to hear it ring, hate to talk on it, hate to listen to messages from it. I'm not anti-social, I've just worked on the phone for a number of years so it is not my favorite mode of communication.

On the other end was my daughter, a bit freaked out because she and her boyfriend just saw a car coming the opposite direction roll and land in a ditch. Everyone turned out to be okay, but it was scary just the same, and Dani wanted to talk to her Mom. I love that. She still needs me.

And - she was less than an hour from home. Surprise! I had no idea she was coming home for the weekend. I didn't get my nap but I am going to bed now, which is earlier than usual. One child left - but one came home. I guess it all evens out in the end, right? Right.

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We can all make a difference

I actually got some work done on my quilt this week, I am very proud. Doing it reminded me how enjoyable it is to sit down at a sewing machine and accomplish something. It also reminded me how much of a struggle it is to wrestle a quilt in 10 different directions with all that fabric in the way! Of course I am working on the sewing machine I received as an 8th grade graduation present in *cough cough* – 1973. Oh that was painful to say. I imagine by now they have machines that do the wrestling for you!

Luckily though, I am healthy and strong enough to continue to wrestle the old fashioned way and I am extremely grateful for those blessings. I may have gotten through my recent breast biopsy with wonderful results, but next time my answers could be different. I read a story last week about a 21 year old girl who was recently diagnosed with stage III breast cancer, and a type that is a very aggressive form of the disease. At 21 she is heading for a double mastectomy, radiation and chemotherapy.

Jen, over at Get in The Car! is featuring my Etsy shop as part of her Philanthropy Thursday series, where you can read how 10% of anything purchased for the rest of the month of October will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research. Jen is showing us how all of us can make a difference!

Mama scored some drugs!

*
The clinic called me at work today. A nice girl named Laura told me the Doctor had okayed the meds I had asked for. However, they wouldn’t have the amount I was asking for until Thursday or Friday.

Panic set in. “Can you give me some today? Even if it’s a little bit? Then I can get the rest of it later in the week, but he really needs this now. He’s gone all weekend without.”

“Okay” Laura was agreeable. “That shouldn’t be a problem, a little today and the rest later in the week. You’ll be in to pick it up today?”

“Oh yes. Right after work” I answered.

As I was driving to the clinic I was hoping he hadn’t gone too long without the meds. Argh-h-h, he gets so cranky and lethargic, he snarls at me and frequently gets physically ill. “If I can just get some into him as soon as I get home.”

Leaving the clinic I realized I was clutching the bottle in my hand thinking “I need to get home. Need to get home.”

As soon as I arrived home and came into the house, I dropped my purse, my mug and my lunchbox on the desk and headed to the kitchen. I plucked a syringe out of the drawer next to the sink, and uncapped the bottle I had been clutching. Putting the syringe into the opening in the bottle I turned it upside down and drew some of the liquid into it. Enough.

Now I just have to get him to take it. What kind of mood is he in? Will he fight me? He knows this is the only thing that makes him feel better, his body craves it, but he hates taking it. He’s there, at the kitchen table, eyeing me as if to say “oh no you don’t!”

I move up on him quickly and grab his face, circling around behind him and forcing his jaws open. He does fight me some but he knows I am stronger. I see my chance and squirt some of the coveted medication into his mouth. Make sure he swallows it. And I breathe a sigh of relief.

I know if I give him some of the meds oh – 3 days in a row instead of every other day, he will catch up and things will start to regulate again. Then and only then will this cranky old man cat be able to process things normally through his digestive track without drooling incessantly and puking on any flat surface in the house! He is simply the most constipated cat I have ever owned!

But – I win! I will be picking up 16oz of this miracle kitty stool softener later in the week! Woo hoo! Better to fight with him to take the meds then to be cleaning his puke from the carpet.

Sleep old man, because tomorrow - we will go through this again. *rubbing my hands together* And you will not puke on my rugs!

*

How often is this kind of thing going to happen???

*
I was jolted out of bed this morning, somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00 am. Loud popping, booms, and flashes of incredibly bright light pierced my sleep and caused me to literally jump out of bed and find myself in the living room just as the electricity was going off. My first frantic thought was - I don't know what time it is, what about my alarm, how am I going to get to work on time?? Of course it didn't register that it was Sunday morning right at that moment. It was dark, it could have been 2:00 am for all I knew - and any day of the week.

I looked outside and couldn't really see anything, so I lit a candle and walked around a bit - got my cell phone and turned it on, things like that. While I was acclimating myself, I heard a car pull up. It was a cop. Then a fire truck pulled up. Nobody banged on my door, there wasn't a lot of noise or people shouting, I figured they were taking care of things, so I could go back to bed. And I did.

I woke up at about 11:00 am and it was getting hot in the house. I looked outside and saw this:

The trees in this neighborhood are very old and the village has been cutting down some of them recently because they were interfering with power lines. God forbid they might start putting the power lines below ground, but I digress.

See anything missing from these pictures? How about - the electric company, the village, anybody who might be able to restore power or remove the tree across that driveway? I called ComEd and they said the fire department had called it in in the morning, they had reported a tree on the power lines but did not report loss of power. WHAT?!??!?! So if the tree was laying across the power lines, and the lines were live, that wouldn't be dangerous???

Anyway, ComEd apologized and said they would send someone out. Apparently none of my neighbors called it in either, all of us secure in the knowledge that the police and fire department had taken care of things.


Pretty soon one guy showed up. He got out of his truck after changing from a tee shirt into a crisp pressed ComEd shirt in the cab - with it unbuttoned and flapping in the breeze, with a hard hat on. He buttoned up as he walked around checking everything out, eventually getting into the bucket and motoring up to the hanging lines.

I had no TV, no computer, nothing to look at except the cats, so I positioned myself on the couch across from the window and watched.

About an hour later ComEd guy came down and walked up to my door. I guess I was the customer because I was the one who called it in. I did not expect what I saw when I opened that door. Brown curly hair, blue eyes, tan - and very gay. :( Oh well, can't win on all points. Said another crew would have to come out and finish - he did all he could on his own. And they did. 3 more guys not nearly as interesting, came and finished up. I was watching them out the window when my power came on and I could have some blessed air conditioning!

ComEd left and the village came out a little later to cut up the tree and take it away.

Only 2 big chunks left - and they came and got those later too.

The guy who's driveway the tree was across must be on vacation because I haven't seen him or his vehicles all weekend. He'll come home and won't know anything happened at all! I want to be away next time we lose power!! Sheesh! This is getting old.
*

Too good to pass up

*
I just saw this video over at Expecting Executive Blog and I'm sorry to be redundant but this is so funny! And so true! My kids being pretty much grown I can verify that I have indeed, said almost everything she says! Uh - sings!

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Mindless entertainment

*
Okay I admit it. If I run into it, I watch Hogan Knows Best. I do. And I enjoy it. Rock of Love was like watching a train wreck. You cover your face with your hands but still peek between your fingers. But I like the Hogan’s.

I never watched wrestling, still don’t, but everybody knows who Hulk Hogan is, right? First time I saw it I was like, “why would anybody want to watch them?” But they are a nice family and you don’t see too many nice families on TV anymore.

The episode that prompts me to write is the one where the Hogan parents get their son Nick a practice baby when he doesn’t take Hulk’s fatherly sex talk seriously enough. I wouldn’t have been able to take it very seriously either with Hulk saying things like “well if you ever need to pull your weapon out, you know how to protect yourself, right?” Or “if you get too many RPM’s goin’ and get a flat tire” … ! I’m sorry, but what 16 or 17 year old kid could keep a straight face with his dad saying that kind of stuff to him?

Still, I enjoy watching Hulk being the protective dad that I really believe he is. I think most women love to see a big burly guy turn out to be a huge teddy bear at home. It’s sweet. I will admit to crying the week Hulk and wife Linda were having problems and went to counseling. At the end Hulk read a poem he had written to his wife, with her and the kids in attendance. It was real too, because the poetry was bad, but Hulk cried, Linda cried, and so did I. It was very touching.

But back to the baby. Nick was told he would be grounded for 2 weeks if he didn’t go along with his parent’s project, so they tied the wristband that identified him as the parent to the electronic baby that came in the mail, and let him loose. I loved all of it. Watching him leave a restaurant because he couldn’t make the baby stop crying, asking his dad to babysit and getting turned down. Welcome to the real world Nick!

Watching him put the baby to sleep in a little cradle next to his bed and then rolling in fully clothed for the night was typical of a teenage boy but also for one who was tired out by the demands of a baby he had no idea how to care for.

It was only 24 hours but Nick was exhausted. He got a report card at the end because the baby recorded what he did, whether he burped her, changed her, or handled her properly. Nick got a C which his parents deemed pretty good for his first day ever being a full time parent, and I have to agree.

In the morning after a rough night, Nick rolled out of bed, grabbed the baby out of the closed guitar case, sat down and stabbed the bottle at her mouth while sleepily saying “I come in peace.”

A guitar case!! With the lid closed! Why the heck didn’t I ever think of that???

*

...and the importance of these...?

*
On my kitchen counter, right now.


In response to my question to my son he said "because you can only get these at certain times of the year. Only around Halloween!"

Oh. Okay. Am I missing something?
*

My intentions

*
I have been having trouble getting motivated to get back into my bead room, and I have sold a few pieces lately in spite of myself. I haven't been trying. I think one of my problems is that my beads have so over-taken that room, along with my daughter piling some of her stuff in there, that the room itself is not appealing to me to go into. Must get that room in hand and hopefully I will pick up those stones and bits of glass and wire and get to work again. Because I really do want to.

There is something else I really want to do. Some time ago I decided to take up quilting. I had no idea what I was doing but I bought fabric and a pattern and I commenced quilting. Sort of. I made a quilt for my former boyfriend and I wish I had photographed it because it turned out really well. At least I think it did - it was my very first quilt and I gave it as a gift. Didn't realize what an ambitious undertaking it would be when I formulated that plan!

After I made that one, I started hoarding fabric. I do that. I hoarded fabric, squares already cut, fat quarters, fabric by the yard if it was a good deal. I even cut out an entire queen sized quilt, sewed some of the pieced blocks together, and when I laid it out to see how it would look as a finished quilt - I hated it. So I have those 12 inch blocks all neatly piled waiting to be sewn together in an unappealing color scheme. Expensive fabric too. Sigh-h. I want to finish it. Even if ends up being the quilt on a closet shelf you pull down when you need that extra blanket, I want to finish it. I have too many unfinished things around here.

But first - I want to finish this one. This quilt is a scrap quilt, made from every color and pattern, even some old shirts and pajamas have contributed fabric. Some of the rows are uneven and my stitches aren't straight. I have not bound the edges and this poor quilt has resided on an ironing board in my bedroom for the better part of 2 years! The cats love it. Argh-h-h.

This quilt was intended to be the one you see folded up on the end of the couch in front of the TV, the one that could go onto the floor with a child rolled up in it. It was supposed to be that 'all things' quilt that was old fashioned and quaint and maybe even a bit ugly but would have fond memories attached.

So in order to keep myself honest and give myself a push - I intend to finish this quilt. By Christmas. That's a generous amount of time considering what is left to be done on it. I'm stating it here so that I will actually do it - and can come back and post some pictures of it when it's complete.

I'm really hoping that a person or 2 will remember this abandoned quilt and ask me about it sometimes. As in "so, how's that quilt coming?" I need support here. Or a swift kick in the behind, but I'll start by asking for support. Make me do this!


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Words of support

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Please head on over to Serving the Queens and say a few words of support and offer your love and compassion to this family who has lost a son. I'm not eloquent and won't try to offer a tribute here to a man I did not know. Except to say that I love my country and this young man did too. He was willing to fight for it in a way most of us are unwilling or unable to do. I weep for him as much as I honor his memory because he died to keep us free. I truly believe that.

Please offer your thoughts to Matt's parents, Terry & Cheryl Blaskowski, knowing they have lost a child. A hero, a soldier, yes. But to them - their boy.

Jenn at Serving the Queens plans to give Terry and Cheryl the link to the posts for them - as a card, in memoriam so-to-speak. Please fill those posts with love. Here.
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TopBlogMag is out!

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The new issue of TopBlogMag is out, hop on over and have a peek! The themed articles in this issue are on 'secrets' - do you have any? I contributed in the 'Words & Pictures' space this time and apparently I am incapable of having any secrets! :) All the contributions are wonderful so I hope you go on over with a mind to read them all.
Enjoy!

I was cleaning the bathroom. And I forgot.

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Maybe it was because I don’t clean often enough so it didn’t occur to me that I had been doing it.

Maybe it was because another cleaning project distracted me.

Maybe it was because a TV show I wanted to see came on.

Or just maybe it was because I sat down in front of my computer.

Regardless. I was cleaning the bathroom. I had cleaned the sink and the tub and had sprayed the toilet. For some reason still unknown to me, I left the room to, what? Do something else apparently! I did a little laundry, a few dishes, and then sat down in front of my computer with the TV on as well. An hour later I realized the bathroom light was on and no one was in there. There were cleaning supplies on the sink and paper towels on the floor, so when I walked in there I was able to deduce what I had been doing. And at that point, I remembered I had been doing it!

But I still don’t know what pulled me away and why I forgot I was doing it at all.

*scratches head*

Does this kind of thing happen to anyone else????

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