Four Miles North of Nowhere

Knit wit...

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-06:00

This is the first time I've ever attempted to knit in the round with double pointed needles.

I would really like to know what sadomasochist devised this particular form of torture.

Making it Monday--Sky Scarf progress...

2012-01-30T19:59:00.002-06:00

Having almost reached the end of January (!), I thought it was time to show the progress made thus far on the Sky Scarf.

I'm using six colors to represent:
clear sky - light blue
summer sky - medium blue
overcast - light gray
thunderstorm - charcoal gray
fog - white
clouds - lace-weight variagated white/gray

Most days I use a combination of the the variagated 'cloud' yarn with one of the other colors. The charcoal gray sticks out like a sore thumb...or like a crash of thunder. That darkest stripe you see represents a storm full of lightning and thunder which poured four and a half inches of rain on us.

I decided to do a garter stitch border and the center in stockinette. I'm not crazy about the look of carrying the unused colors up the side, but I may go back at the end and crochet around the whole thing as Lynne suggested.

It's a fun project. It only takes a few minutes to knit each day's two rows (after I untangle the yarn). I'll be showing each month's progress at month's end.

Patience rewarded...or...lost hope found...

2012-01-28T22:36:00.000-06:00

Dear Kasey,

Do you remember all those times when you told me you didn't have the patience for crafts? I thought that they must have switched babies in the hospital. How could a child of mine not have the crafting gene? But you look too much like me, so that was that.

Still, I pretty much coerced you into trying a little needlepoint kit trinket box once. I think I had to end up finishing it. You may have tried a tiny cross-stitch ornament another time, but it just wasn't something that seemed to interest you.

I finally gave up. I treasured the little trinket box, thinking it would be the sole handcrafted effort of yours I would ever have. And I thought that perhaps the gene had skipped a generation...and bided my time till I might have a granddaughter who showed the spark of shared passion.

But then you began decorating projects. Painting furniture. Painting rooms. Making headboards. I was so happy. I could see that you had the gene after all...it just took a different path.

This Christmas was fabulous. I love, love, love the wreath you made me and the stencilled piece you did for your dad.

And then today was the best day ever...long awaited and all but given up on. A sewing lesson at your request! You are awesome! And you will probably surpass me in the end. Because the one gene of mine that I'm happy to say you didn't get was the procrastination gene. Oh my sweet, talented, productive girl.

Love, Mom

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2012-01-25T00:43:00.000-06:00

photo credit: Amazon.com

I finished Ellis Island by Kate Kerrigan last Wednesday evening after posting it that morning. I actually locked up the office after work and curled up in a chair in the back room to read for an hour before starting the hour commute home. Once on the road, I let my Kindle read aloud to me. Then when I got home I finished reading the last couple of chapters.

It wasn't until after I finished the book that I logged on to the blog, and when I did, I found a very nice surprise in the post comments. The author left a comment. So since I couldn't find a way to leave a message via your blog, I am hoping that you, Kate Kerrigan, come across this post as you did the last one. I want you to know that I enjoyed the story and characters very much and look forward to the second book being available here in the States.

And thank you for leaving your comment. It was a fun surprise.

This week I'm reading Snow Mountain Passage by James D. Houston. A novel based on the Donner Party.

And yes, that is a lame attempt at a snow-like background in the photo...it's late...it's quilt batting...and I'm a dork. No disrespect intended to the actual members of the Donner Party, their struggles through the tragic events that befell them, or their descendants.

Taking the easy way...

2012-01-24T20:23:00.001-06:00

I had intended to make a quiche for dinner tonight, but I didn't get home till about six. So I rummaged through the freezer and found some meatballs from my last IKEA trip. The pantry had instant mashed potatoes. I made a simple white sauce and added a package of brown gravy mix to it. Microwaved some frozen broccoli. And opened a can of cranberry jelly to sub for lingonberry.

We were plating up dinner at six-thirty.

It is days like this that I wonder (guiltily) how my mother put a made-from-scratch dinner on the table every single night after a long day at work...and without a microwave or dishwasher.

I made this meal once for Caitlyn and Chloe when they were spending the night. Caitlyn said that it was "very good, Grandma...just like at my school cafeteria." Just what I've always aspired to be...the cafeteria lunch lady.

Carey isn't a fan of instant mashed potatoes, so no compliments forthcoming from him tonight.

Oh, well. Tomorrow is another day.

Good Morning, Good Night...

2012-01-19T21:51:00.000-06:00

I love vintage Little Golden Books.

photo credit: Champ & Mabel Collectibles

This was my favorite when I was little...two stories in one. Good Morning was about a little boy who didn't like to get up in the morning. Good Night was about a little girl who didn't like to go to bed at night. I STRONGLY identified with both! I love those sweet illustrations by Eloise Wilkin...especially the pictures of the little girl playing with her Noah's Ark in the middle of the night while everyone else was asleep...that was the reason I collected Noah's Arks for many years. I would like to have a copy of this book...but this one is $35.

Anyway...

I'm sitting here not wanting to go to bed. And normally on a Thursday night I wouldn't have to, as this is usually the beginning of my weekend. But since I'm filling in for a co-worker tomorrow, I know I have to. So I will.

I still won't want to get up in the morning though.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

photo credit: Amazon.com

Ellis Island by Kate Kerrigan...story of early 20th century immigration from Ireland to the United States.

Estate sale...

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have seen other bloggers post about great thrifting finds, and I have bemoaned my lack of luck in this department...until now.

At the estate sale that I happened upon during our long weekend, I found this beautiful blue and yellow appliqued quilt top. The prices at the sale seemed to be higher than I liked. I thought this would be more than I wanted to pay, since it was still there on the third and last day of the sale. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. When I asked the price, I was told $10. Score!

It does have one little piecing 'flaw,' in that the quilter seemed to run out of fabric on the very last square. One corner has some fabric substitution...which I find absolutely endearing.

This quilter did beautiful applique, and the fabrics seem to be in very good condition. There is some blue discoloration in a few places on the muslin background. I think it may be that the blue fabric's dye ran a little. I'm assuming that (and the corner substitutions) may be why it was never quilted. I think it is an excellent opportunity to maybe practice some free-motion machine quilting someday.

Unfortunately, I had no cash on me, and I knew they wouldn't take an non-local check. Susan saved the day by loaning me a ten.

On the way to the pay station, I spotted this vintage tennis racket. These are showing up a lot in decorating these days. So I picked it up as well. I told the cashier that the quilt top was $10 and the racket was marked $2, and I would be happy to pay that, but I only had a ten dollar bill and some out-of-town checks, and I asked if she would consider letting me have both of them for just ten dollars. She accepted. Yea! I think the fact that it was the last day of the sale paid off for me.

Long weekending...

2012-01-16T17:51:00.001-06:00

Cell phone photo with flash in very dim restaurant. This sushi roll is called 'Catepillar'...such a beautiful presentation.

We had a wonderful long weekend visiting family and friends.

Thursday we drove up to stay with Carey's sister and mother. It was so good to see them and spend some time together. Friday afternoon I left Carey at his sister's house, and drove another hour or so to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousin for a few hours. It had been about two and a half years since I'd seen them...such a good visit.

Saturday we left his sister's, and we drove up to Arlington to see my friends Susan and the other Kathleen. Kathleen has been working there for a few months, but will be heading home to Kentucky soon, so we wanted to see her before she goes. We girls had a really great time chatting and laughing while Carey accomplished several odd jobs around the house for Susan...replacing a broken light bulb, repairing a light switch, reattaching a toilet paper holder, moving a desk...my husband is such an easy-going and helpful person. Then we went to Sushi Domo and had a fabulous sushi dinner...such a treat!

We stayed the night at a hotel, and both woke up exclaiming what a good night's sleep we'd had in the most comfortable bed ever. On the way back to Susan's, I spotted a sign advertising an estate sale, so after we breakfasted together, we girls took a little field trip while Carey busied himself with another project.

The trip was short of duration and long in miles, and even though we squeezed a LOT of activities into it, it was very relaxing and pleasant.

Today it's back to laundry and getting ready to go back to work tomorrow. And I took some time out to take Chandler and the girls to lunch and the library...I'm so thankful we are close enough to share some quick together time.

Fathers and sons...

2012-01-12T02:40:00.000-06:00

Carey and Jared, early '90s

I'm posting this photo for no particular reason, except that Caroline had a photo of her men on her blog yesterday that reminded me so much of this one, that I had to track this one down. It's my favorite photo of the two of them, and it was taken by my talented friend Drew.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2012-01-11T21:40:00.001-06:00

Just finished The Misremembered Man by Christina McKenna. Lonely hearts in 1970s rural Ireland.

I'm posting opinions of finished books on the 2012 Reading Challenge page.

And now I'm reading Sarah by Marek Halter, a novel based on the lives of biblical couple, Abraham and Sarah. It really helps one think of them as three dimensional characters.

I plan on Carey driving on our upcoming trip, so I'll have lots of reading time.

Another handcrafted Christmas gift...

2012-01-09T01:00:00.000-06:00

This was Kasey's play kitchen back in the day...I think we originally bought it in the early '80s and it was well used before it even came to our family. We bought it from our church when they were remodeling some classrooms. And I would guess that it was probably handmade by a church member back in the '50s or '60s.

The girls have never seen it, because before the move we had it stored in one of the out buildings, and since the move it has been in the garage awaiting my plans. Carey repainted it in Martha Stewart green. I added the 'window' and after much searching found the perfect-sized new 'sink.'

I wrapped dishes, silverware, and cookware for their under-the-tree gifts. After all of the gifts were open, I asked them to take the dishes to the playroom where they found the kitchen. They were VERY excited, and they have been cooking up all kinds of fun to share with us ever since.

Here's Caitlyn with some tomato soup she made for us on Saturday.

And Chloe served us a beautiful 'Cob' salad.

Seven random thoughts on the 7th...

2012-01-07T21:54:00.002-06:00

1. I'm a week into the Sky Scarf, and I'm wondering if I will stick it out. It is a frustrating job to keep five skeins of yarn untangled!

2. I'm a week into the 2012 Reading Challenge, and I am on track with my One Year Bible, but I have already picked up a new book on Kindle rather than one from the stack.

3. Today was a fun day spent just hanging around the house with Kasey and the girls.

4. I'm looking forward to a quick but visit-filled trip this coming week. We will be going to see Carey's sister and mother. I'll leave him there and take an afternoon away on my own to go see my cousin and aunt and uncle. Then before Carey and I head home, we will jump over to the Dallas area to visit with the other Kathleen before she heads back to Kentucky.

5. There is so much work to do...and the more I procrastinate, the more it piles up...literally.

6. Tomorrow: clean out car, finish laundry catch up, fill a box to take to Goodwill, bake bread, make menu/grocery list, do the shopping.

7. Tonight I am ready to curl up under the covers with my Kindle.

2012 Reading Challenge

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

So here's another of my year-long goals that I alluded too a couple of days ago.

Caroline wrote awhile back about a reading challenge for 2012 that she was joining. It was such an awesome idea, that I had to jump in.

Here's the plan. Shop your bookshelves for twelve books (plus two alternates) that have been languishing on your shelves for at least a year, waiting for you to get around to reading them. That gives you an average of one per month to get read during 2012. The alternates are in case there are some in your selection of twelve that you can't bring yourself to finish.

I'm not officially joining the 'real' challenge because...well...I didn't make the deadline. But that doesn't mean I don't acknowledge that it is an awesome plan of action, and want to tag along...and this way I don't have to adhere to the rules about linking etc. :)

So here are my selections:
1. Firebird - by Janice Graham
2. Paula - by Isabel Allende
3. Almost There - by Nuala O'Faolain
4. Snow Mountain Passage - by James D Houston
5. An Irish Country Doctor - by Patrick Taylor
6. Mariana - by Susanna Kearsley
7. The Poisonwood Bible - by Barbara Kingsolver
8. Ladies With Options - by Cynthia Hartwick
9. ~~Sarah - by Marek Halter~~
10. Breakfast With Buddha - by Roland Merullo
11. Knit Together - by Debbie Macomber
12. The One Year Bible - by Divine inspiration
...this is a re-read for me, but it's been awhile. It was already in the stack, and then when talking to one of my sisters she said she had started reading on January first the copy that I gave her awhile back. I said, oh good, I'll be doing it with you. If anyone finds the thought of reading the Bible cover to cover daunting, I highly recommend the One Year Bible. It's broken up into readings for the year, and each day has some Old Testament, some New Testament, a Psalm, and a Proverb.

And the alternates:
1. Among Schoolchildren - by Tracy Kidder
2. An Echo In The Bone - by Diana Gabaldon

I'm setting this post up as a separate page on the blog. I will be crossing out titles as I make progress, and I will write very short reviews. My 'Reading List' page where I've been tracking/reviewing for the past couple of years was getting quite long.

Grill girll...

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

This is what my husband got me for Christmas. I'm not sure that he wanted to, but it's what I asked for. His way of barbecuing involves what seems like hours of fire building with mesquite, and I was wanting to be able to do some grilling myself quickly and easily.

So I've been experimenting.

This was last night's dinner. Salmon and vegetables. Soooooooooooooooo good.

Happy 2012...

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

A new year is upon us! I got a little sidetracked last week, so more crafty Christmas photos will have to be posted later. The above photo shows the makings of my 2012 undertaking.

I came across this idea initiated by Leigh at leafcutterdesigns.com and thought it was absolutely brilliant. This is called the Sky Scarf. You start out with yarns in blues, white, and grays, then each day you knit a stripe in colors that match the sky that day. Over the year you will have a record of the year's weather patterns in your scarf.

Since you only knit one stripe (two rows) a day, I think it is a very manageable goal, even for me. On January 1st I cast on and knit the first two rows. My plan is to show my progress on the first of each month through the year. You are supposed to end up with a five-foot scarf at year's end. I am adjusting my pattern and yarn just a bit, so I may end up with something a bit different. My gauge sample was very close to that suggested though, so I'm not too worried.

I have two other year-long goals this year, so stay tuned. :)

Puzzling...

2011-12-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

This is a gift for the Kasey and Beau's family, and has been in the planning stage for several months. I made the box by hand after the gift was completed so it would be a perfect fit for the contents. For the top, I used a sheet of pasteboard that comes in literature shipments at work. For the bottom I just used a sheet of regular white card stock. I liked the way the pasteboard looked, so I didn't even wrap it, just added the tulle bow and a string of vintage buttons.

Now on to the actual gift. I bought one-and-a-quarter-inch wooden blocks at the craft store. I chose favorite photos of the family and had them printed at Office Max on a laser printer...just on regular copy paper. It might have worked to just print them on my ink jet printer, but I didn't want to take a chance on the ink running once I started Mod Podging. Also, it is my personal opinion that you need a paper cutter to cut the photo into pieces for the blocks, so the cuts are nice and straight...and you have to measure VERY carefully for the cuts.

Cut one photo into squares that are just a hair under the dimension of the blocks. Apply the Mod Podge to one side of a cube, and carefully place the photo piece on. Repeat till all pieces of that photo are adhered to the cubes. Then you can move on to the next photo, cutting it and adhering to the blocks. Once all photos are on the cubes, go back and brush a layer of Mod Podge over the photos. I Mod Podged two sides of the cube, let them dry about twenty minutes, then did another two sides and let them dry. I kept doing this until I had several layers of Mod Podge over the photos. I wanted the photo blocks to hold up well to lots of use. I think the kiddoes will have fun arranging the photos of themselves and their siblings.

Here are all sides of the finished puzzle in decending age order of the photo subject. Luckily a cube has six sides...a side for mom and dad, and a side for each of the five kiddoes.

I think it's quite funny that I can see in these photos that I have solved some of these puzzles incorrectly...I have a piece either out of place or twisted the wrong way around in three of the photos! :)

I loved Kasey's response when she opened this. She thought I had special ordered it somewhere, and was gratifyingly impressed when I told her I made it myself. :)

Handmade gifts...

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas! We are having our family Christmas today since Carey had to work yesterday. I'm not doing a big dinner. I'm making chicken and dumplings with a vegetable side, and Kasey is bringing pie. I stewed the chicken and boned it a couple of days ago, so the hard work is all done.

Now I can show some of the family gifts that I've been working on that I couldn't show ahead of time. I purchased tulle on a spool on special for half off awhile back, and I used it on every single gift instead of ribbon...SO easy to just tie a bow, fluff it out, and have it look great. To the boys' gifts I added some dragon paper mache ornaments that I got on sale last week...they were each a different color and style.

The boys are so hard to buy for, so I resorted to giving cash, but I didn't want to just slip a check into an envelope. When I came across this idea , I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do too.

I Googled 'money origami' and found some interesting ways to fold bills that I thought the boys might think were cool. I chose to try the flower fold (shown in the middle below) and the heart fold (shown in the bottom right-hand corner, though the shape doesn't show up very well in the photo). The other bills I just folded simply. I glued the paper candy liners to the bottom of the box, and I used a tiny bit of glue to glue the bills into the candy liners. I used a liberal amount of glue to glue the coins down...I wanted it to look nice when opened and not strewn every which way...and those boys can clean it up later. :)

Each boy's box includes one $20 dollar bill, one $10 bill, one $5 bill, one $2 bill, three $1 bills (the flower uses three bills), and assorted coins. I wish I had been able to find darker colored boxes to add more contrast, but all in all I thought they turned out very fun looking, and I think the boys will be surprised and happy with them.

Tomorrow I'll show another gift that was fun to do.

All decked out...

2011-12-24T16:07:00.000-06:00

I haven't set out the Christmas village for quite awhile. But this year I got a couple of new pieces that I was really excited about.

The iconic tongue-on-the-flag-pole scene from A Christmas Story...LOVE that movie, and I'm so excited the marathon starts tonight!

And the Parker's house...complete with the leg lamp in front window.

I also found, and thus had to buy, the Chop Suey Palace where the Parkers ended up having Christmas dinner after the Bumpuses' dogs ate their turkey. We are delaying our Christmas till Monday since Carey has to work tomorrow. I wonder if I can talk Jared into having Chinese tomorrow. We've done it before. It's a hoot!

Seasonal deliciousness...

2011-12-23T19:42:00.001-06:00

These are the last few bags of my favorite Celestial Seasonings tea flavor which I carefully ration through the year...Candy Cane Lane...only available in stores during the Christmas season. For the last few months, I have looked for it every time I shopped for groceries...even at different stores...hoping to replenish the stash. None. A week or so ago, I went online to their website to see if they had an availability directory. It listed Walgreens pharmacies as an outlet. I looked at two different Walgreens and didn't find any. I was starting to worry, what with Christmas almost upon us.

Today I had to brave the traffic and crowds to pick up a couple of gift cards...last things on my list (yea!)...so I stopped in at a Walgreens on the way.

Score! I bought every box on the shelves.

Whew! I feel so much better now.

My first job...

2011-12-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

***Warning: The following may be offensive to some people. Look away if you must. No animals were permanently harmed in the making of this photo...temporarily uncomfortable, yes...scarred, yes, that's what a brand is after all. Sorry. Don't worry, the cow had the last laugh, as I'm the one looking a little bovine these days.***

Here's a fun photo I just stumbled upon. Literally stumbled upon...dislodged it from a box while trying to straighten up my home office.

That's me (circa 1975/76) wielding the branding iron. I was about eighteen. My first job was working for a cattle breeders association. My days weren't all spent like this. Usually I was going through files, researching bloodlines, and issuing pedigrees. But this was an occasion when they wanted us to get out and see the real deal.

When I think of the poor cowboy (not the one in the picture) who had to be our keeper for the day...poor, poor man. He must have been SO ready to drop me back at the office. We were barely on the road when I innocently asked him a question (really, I didn't know any better then) that made him blush so deeply and stammer endlessly while two of my co-workers in the back seat sprayed Coke-a-Cola out their noses laughing at my naivete. Then we had barely reached our first destination when I approached an insulated fence around a pen, and, wondering how much voltage it would take to keep a full-grown bull inside, I put my hand out to the live wire. So how much voltage does it take, you ask? Enough to knock me back several feet and onto my backside in the dust. Boy oh boy...the looks on the faces of that cowboy and the ranch owner who was hosting us.

They would probably be surprised to know that I survived to adulthood, and even went on to own a small ranch and cattle. Yes, I'm twice the woman I was back then. Literally. But let's not go there.

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Seeing Things by Patti Hill. I find a lot of Christian fiction to be not very well written, but this one is more to my liking than most.

Another Christmas gift...

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a productive day. I finished this last night. It's for another of my co-workers. It's not a great photo, but I had to take it after dark, so I could wrap the gift to take to work with me this morning.

I came across the quote pinned on Pinterest and credited here . In case you can't read it, it says, "Grandma's house...where cousins go to become best friends." When I saw it, I immediately thought of my friend. She has four grandchildren who text each other making plans for their next visit to her house, then they call her and let her in on the plan. I think that is so cute, and I thought she would like this little picture (fingers crossed). The cousins will all be visiting her over the Christmas holidays.

I created the quote layout in Photoshop. I used spray adhesive to adhere some linen to a piece of card stock, trimmed it really well, and ran it through the printer to print the quote on the fabric. After that I removed the card stock from the linen, and I used some scraps and some fusible webbing to add the house. Then I embellished with some buttons and simple stitches.

The linen background fabric was another piece trimmed from a discarded pair of wide-legged linen slacks of mine. I suppose that's one good thing about wearing a plus size. I'm going to be really sad when I use the last of that linen. Remember this project ? It was also made from the salvaged linen slacks.

The frame was one I bought at the dollar store several years ago and has been sitting in my craft stash since then.

So I am doing really well at stretching my Christmas budget this year.

Making this Monday...

2011-12-19T17:10:00.000-06:00

Today I'm making hand warmers for a co-worker whose hands are always freezing.

This version is really simple, but way fancier than what we use at home. For home I just nabbed a fairly new pair of tube socks out of Carey's drawer...filled them with uncooked rice, and tied the end closed with twine. I keep them in the freezer to use as a cold pack for injuries...but if I want them warm I just put them straight into the microwave. They are reusable for ages...I made our 'rice socks' years ago, and we've been using them ever since.

For the prettier gift version I'm making today, I cut three 8" x 10.5" layers of fleece...I'll call them layers A, B, and C. I sewed layers A and B together lengthwise with straight rows of stitching about an inch and three-quarters apart to form channels for the filling. After I had the rows of stitching done, I added layer C to the top and sewed around three of the sides with a straight stitch, leaving one short side open...then I went back and zigzagged around the same three sides (zigzagging optional).

I used a funnel to fill the channels formed in layers A and B with rice. (I used brown rice, because that's what I had on hand.) I packed them pretty tightly, but I stopped filling about an inch and a half or so from the top. As I completed filling each channel, I used a straight pin to secure the openings. After each channel was filled, I went back to the sewing machine. I pulled layer C out of the way at one edge, and removed the straight pin from the first channel; with a straight stitch, I sewed the first channel of layer A and B closed, then removed the pin from the next channel and sewed it closed...and repeated across. Then I went back and zigzagged across that whole row of stitching again.

These are the completed hand warmers. Pop them in the microwave for a minute (or maybe two depending on your microwave), and they feel so nice and warm.

With the third layer C added, you have a warm pocket to put your cold hand into!

All size measurements are approximate...I pretty much eyeballed the whole thing. The zigzag stitching is completely optional. I used fleece because: a) I had it on hand, and b) I didn't have to worry about finishing any edges. You can fill with rice, wheat, or flax seed; and you can mix cinnamon or a few drops of essential oils into the rice before filling if you want a nice scent.

That's it! Another gift ready to wrap. :)

Betty Davis eyes...

2011-12-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

So I've made it perfectly clear that I am a procrastinator, right? Well, today I finally went to the Department of Public Safety to change my address on my driver's license...it's only been a year since we moved. My last renewal was two years ago, and since then I've been living in shame of its hideous photo...the worst driver's license photo EVER!

That is, until today. And I felt really cute when I left the house this morning, too. But after an hour and a half sitting in an overcrowded room of frustrated people, I guess my shine had worn off.

I wonder what the chances were that I would wear a blouse the exact shade of the photo backdrop...can you say floating head? Then I managed to raise one eyebrow...but instead of looking quizzical, I looked like I was giving the camera the stink eye. And since the last license photo looked somewhat like a mugshot, I thought I should smile this time...mm-hmm, imagine a evil sneer.

My daughter said my photo looked like I was ready for my close up with Mr. DeMille.

My coworker thought I looked like Roseanne Barr...and that was one of the kinder things she said.

I'm thinking, move over Baby Jane.

I sincerely hope that I don't go missing or get wrongly accused of some horrid crime. Do I fear bodily harm or persecution? Not as much as I fear having this new driver's license photo released to the news media!

What am I reading Wednesday...

2011-12-14T09:30:00.000-06:00

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. If I hadn't been hibernating last week, I would have posted this one. I just finished it. It's about an English plague village in 1666 that quarantined themselves...loosely based on an actual event. I thought it was very good.

The Quilting Answer Book by Barbara Weiland Talbert. I picked this one up recently after judging it by its cover...and a quick flip through the pages. It's in a Q & A format with lots of illustrations. Nice to keep on the side table for a quick bite or two. I need to get quilting again!

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton. I may or may not be starting this one tonight. I have so many other things that need doing right now.

Red 'letter' day...

2011-12-13T22:53:00.001-06:00

this is a birthday card I mailed in November

Please pardon my pun, but I wanted to mark this occasion. I mailed off two packages today, each with a letter tucked inside. That brings my letter total for the year to FIFTY-TWO!!! Woohoo! I did it! I successfully completed the challenge.

Since I didn't start the 52-letters-in-52-weeks challenge until May, I averaged about 1.5 letters per week. To keep track of my progress, I jotted down the name of the person each letter was going to on my calendar every time I mailed one. It gives me a warm feeling of accomplishment to flip through my calendar pages and see those names.

I do believe I will start over again at the first of the year. Anyone want to join me?

Scissors, and papers, and bows...oh my...

2011-12-12T23:18:00.000-06:00

I've been spending a lot of time at my craft table. Some things I can't show yet. But here are a couple of gifts that I've been playing with for awhile. Then I would lay them aside and think about them for a bit before going back to them. I finally finished them today.

These are Christmas ornaments made for newlywed couples from their wedding invitations. You may have seen the idea around the web. The first one I saw was here . And since we had a couple of weddings in the family this summer, I filed the idea away along with the invitations.

I worked on the two ornaments simultaneously this week, so some photos are of one, and some are of the other. I don't mean to confuse anybody, with my photos.

For each one I used a clear ornament, a wedding invitation, ribbon, and embellishments.

First you cut the invitation into strips horizontally (my strips were about 1/4 inch) being careful to cut above and below each text line so that they will be readable inside the ornament.

I used a pencil to coil them around, printed side facing the outside of the coil. Then I slipped them inside the ornament and let them relax their curl. In this one, I decided to slip in a few curls of solid cardstock that matched the color of the floral print on the invitation.

I used my metal-stamp set to stamp the couple's names and the year on two washers to attach to this one. I photographed it during the pondering stage, so it actually ended up with a bow added to the top like the one pictured below.

Since I had wedding photos to go with this invitation, I printed out a tiny photo of the couple and put it in a metal finding, then topped it with a liquid crystal solution. I learned some things in that process. Like you need to mod-podge over the image at least twice (letting it dry thoroughly between each application) before adding the liquid crystal, so it doesn't turn dark...and to let it dry and cure without disturbing it...and to watch out for bubbles or you might have to add a pearl sticky over the bubble spot. Oh well. I can redo the photo on this one after Christmas, but they can hang it on their tree for now.

Spooning...

2011-12-05T17:14:00.001-06:00

A week away from blogging and not much to show for it. Or rather I have some projects to show, but can't until after Christmas, if you get my meaning. Add to that the fact that we've had some lovely cloudy dreary rainy days, days that do not lend to nice photographs, and there hasn't been a thing to blog about! I guess the fact that we've been getting rain is in itself something to blog about, as it is so unusual lately. Perfect weather for curling up with a book and a cup of hot chocolate, but I haven't gotten to do that either.

I came across my spoon collection a few days ago. I decided it was about time that I got it polished up and back up on the wall. I'm not really into things like spoon collections, but I inherited this one from a favorite great-aunt.

These are two of my favorites. The top one says "Zurich" in the bowl of the spoon, and the handle is a stem, leaves, and bloom of an edelweiss...so delicate and beautiful. The other is the shape of a salt cellar spoon, but not quite that small...I think I like it because it's different than the others...and because it's the easiest to polish!

The two spoons below are very dear, and I always hang them right next to each other. Though you can't see it in this sad excuse of a photo, the top one has an 'R' monogram for Ruth, my great-aunt's name. The bottom one says 'MED DEPT USA' and is the one that her husband brought home after serving in the Army medical department in Europe during World War I.

Here they are all bright and shiny and hung next to a photo of their first owner. I have a feeling that if she knew how infrequently I polish them, she might have bequeathed them to someone else.

Yeah...it's a Monday...

2011-11-28T19:53:00.001-06:00

We have reached the end of the turkey. Today I had about a cup and a half or so of dark meat left, so I made a homemade Turkey Pot Pie. Looks pretty good.

Of course, about halfway through the baking time, I realized that I had forgotten to add the turkey. Grrrrrrr.

Oh, well. I heated it up separately, and we added it to the individual servings.

I'll put the recipe up over at What's Cooking' Four Miles North of Nowhere .

A sweet surprise...

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

Two of my friends got together and sent me an Edible Arrangement as a belated birthday present. These are SO good. You can't really see them very well in the photo, but there are chocolate covered orange sections interspersed throughout the arrangement. The flowers are pineapple slices with a cantaloupe ball for the center...so cute.

They can forget my birthday every year! :)

Good thing we've already made a dent in the Thanksgiving leftovers...and a good thing we have adjustable shelving in the refrigerator! :)

2011 Turkey Challenge results...

2011-11-22T06:09:00.002-06:00

Our Thanksgiving feast was a great success. It was nice to have everyone in the house at the same time. I found myself thinking of past Thanksgivings prepared by my mother and Carey's mother...mostly when my feet and/or back started hurting...and I decided that I never appreciated their work enough in the past.

The turkeys were both delicious. I will definitely be brining again in the future. It was very moist and tender.

Beau's deep-fried turkey was delicious. I have to admit that his won in the flavor category. But it seemed to give him a little trouble in the carving process.

Oh, dear. Someone seems to be getting frustrated.

Mine carved beautifully.

That's Beau's ~~mangled~~...~~hot mess~~...fried turkey on the left. Mine is the platter on the right.

So as I see it the points tally this way:

Ease of preparation: brining

Flavor: frying

Moistness: brining

Tenderness: brining

Presentation: brining

Hmmm...I seem to be declaring myself the winner. (Beau has declared himself the winner too, so it's okay.) :)

ps: please forgive the cheesy posed photos

Making this Monday...

2011-11-21T17:01:00.001-06:00

I saw a folded star posted on Pinterest the other day, and I loved the classical simplicity of it. And it was made using a cereal box! So today I made a few in preparation of Christmas decorating. I haven't quite decided how I'm going to finish them (paint? cover with fabric?) or even how/where I will be using them. But I LOVE them. And they're so easy!

Here's a different angle...had to put a white sheet of cardboard behind it for better visibility...that regular cardboard color is really close to my wall color. :)

The original Pinterest link I saw didn't have a pattern, so I googled 'star pattern' and picked a shape I liked of the images that came up in the search results. I enlarged it on my printer/copier to the size I wanted. It's actually a little larger than would fit on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, so I printed it on two sheets of cardstock, cut them out, and laid one over the other and taped it in place to get a complete star.

Trace the pattern on a piece of cardboard and cut out. (I drew in the score/fold lines in the photo of my pattern above to make my directions a little easier to understand...hopefully...but you don't need to mark them on stars you're making at all.) Score from each outer point to the inside angle opposite it. Then fold on the scored lines...'mountain' folds on the points (solid lines on the pattern above), and 'valley' folds on the inside angles (dotted lines on the pattern above).

It didn't quite fit on the front or back side of a cereal box, so I opened the box up and let the points hang over the creases of the box a little. It didn't affect the stability of the star at all. And if I cover it in burlap like this gorgeous star also found on Pinterest, no one will ever even know. :)

If you go visit Pinterest, beware...it is addictive. Creativity overload!

Bring it...brine it...whatever...

2011-11-19T19:42:00.001-06:00

that's a nineteen pound turkey in a five-gallon bucket in my kitchen sink

The feast preparation has begun. We will be having our holiday dinner tomorrow, a few days before most households.

I wanted to make sure that we had lots of turkey leftovers to go around...we want to keep some, I want to send some home with Kasey, and Carey will be taking some to work. So I bought two frozen turkeys. I didn't have room in my refrigerator to thaw both of them, so I asked Kasey if they could put one in their fridge. Beau asked if he could fry that one...woohoo, less work for me.

But he declares that his will taste better. I didn't want it to be a competition, but if he wants to make it one, then I'm going to bring an extra effort to the match. So this year I'm brining the bird. Hope it turns out as well as people say. I'm using Alton Browne's recipe.

I took a nap today, so I could stay up late getting everything ready. I'd better get back to the next thing on the list...vegetables...then pies...then...

This time tomorrow night we'll be going back to the kitchen for another piece of pie!

ps: My endeavor to mail 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.
accountability stats: 26 weeks / 50 letters

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I'm not sure I'm up for it right now, but I'm giving it a go.

Talk about coming in under the wire...

2011-11-15T21:49:00.001-06:00

So on my way home from work tonight, I called Kasey to let her know that I had finished the girls' tooth fairy pillows. Beau answered the phone, and before I could tell him why I called, he informed me that Caitlyn had lost her first tooth. I told him I would deliver the pillows before bedtime. That's the tooth that she's holding in the baggie...she wanted to make sure it was visible in the photo. :)

Saturday's snail mail on Tuesday...

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

Oh, I have been so distracted lately. I actually thought it had been longer since I had mailed a letter out, but turns out it was only two weeks.

I have been enjoying lots of craftiness, some of which is still in progress. I have worked a little more than scheduled. I have been trying to clean things up around here and get things ready for our Thanksgiving, which we will be celebrating a little early this weekend. Even now that we all live in the same town, work schedules still make it hard to get everybody together in the same room at the same time. We only have about a one-hour window of time if we all want to sit down at the table together.

I've even been able to mark a few things off of the Christmas shopping list. Can you believe how rapidly the holidays are approaching?!

accountability stats: 25 weeks / 48 letters

Making this Monday...

2011-11-14T12:23:00.001-06:00

Recently Caitlyn mentioned that a tooth had been hurting after her mouth had gotten bumped. Truth be told, she has mentioned her teeth several times lately. I think that her friends at school have started losing teeth, and she is anticipating her own first lost tooth.

Just a few days later, I came across Lisa Seibert's tooth fairy pillow in her Etsy shop that was so different from any I had seen before. I loved its simplicity and muted colors. I loved that it could be personalized and that dates could be written on its chart to track the progress of lost baby teeth.

I happened to have fabric that was perfect for this project. I went online and found a baby-teeth chart and edited it to add the name at the top and 'I lost another tooth' in the middle. I printed it out right on the fabric (LOVE being able to run fabric through the printer!) and assembled the small pillow (about 6 inches square). I added a few white buttons to my version and rows of little running stitches on the pocket on the back side where the tooth, and then the tooth fairy's reward is kept safe. I finished it up today by stuffing and stitching it closed.

I made two of course...couldn't make one for Caitlyn without making another for Chloe. So we are ready for the next big step.

Sinful...

2011-11-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

Ever been to Chili's and had a dessert called Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie? It is a hot, gooey, buttery chocolate chip cookie served in a small cast iron skillet with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It is absolutely decadent. I have limited myself to sharing one with someone just once every couple of years or so.

That is until the other day. I came across a recipe from Sophistimom that set alarms off in my head, but I couldn't resist trying it. Her photos are so much better and more tempting than mine, but I wanted to show you how mine turned out. It has very few ingredients, and they are mixed and baked in just one pan...a cast iron skillet. Easy peasy. And the yumminess factor...

Oh. My. Goodness.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-11-09T06:30:00.000-06:00

My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer.

Braids and such...

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

The girls got to come spend the night on Saturday, with the proviso that I have them ready for church early Sunday morning as their mother had to teach Sunday School.

They were complimentary of my cooking at dinner and were rewarded with ice cream. They had their usual bubble bath and manicures. We read only a few pages of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle before they fell fast asleep.

As usual, sometime in the wee hours, Caitlyn came and crawled into bed beside me, and we whispered and giggled until she fell back to sleep...or until I did...I'm not sure. Chloe woke us up about 7:30, and we had cinammon toast and hot chocolate.

Then I asked them if I could braid their hair. They were willing, even though their mother has told them nasty stories of her hair being yanked out (!) when she was a child and I was braiding it. (She exagerates...it never came out.)

Once they were ready, and standing by the door watching for their mother, I grabbed the camera to take a photo of their hair. Since I was focused pretty much on the top of their heads, it was a few moments before I noticed that their arms had gone around each other in a natural embrace as they waited. I was so happy that I had the camera at the ready to catch the sweetness of the moment.

Time flies...

2011-11-07T13:08:00.003-06:00

I can't believe it, but Thanksgiving is just two and a half weeks away! Of course, Carey's work schedule usually lends to us celebrating holidays on alternate days than anyone else. This year we will be gathering on the Sunday before. When I realized how short time was growing, I made up the menu (not hard, it's usually the same) and the shopping list.

I am THRILLED to say that except for some fresh produce, all of my grocery shopping is done. No crowds. No panic. No stress. And this shopping trip actually put the pantry in good standing for the Christmas feast as well.

After all these years, Carey is still a little resentful about so many holidays being worked away from the family. In my view, any day can be a holiday when it is spent gathering and celebrating, so alternating from the norm doesn't bother me in the least.

Besides...when everyone else is rushing and slaving and cleaning, I am enjoying the Law & Order marathons and eating leftovers. :)

ps: Seeing all those plastic bags in the photo brought me up short. I hereby pledge to do better about remembering to take my reusable cloth bags with me.

Tricks and treats...

2011-11-01T22:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening I went by Kasey's before everybody set out to Trick-or-Treat, and got photos of all the little ghouls in their costumes. Love the way the sun participated by lighting Chloe's angel costume and lending some angelic radiance. Caitlyn was an enchanting enchantress.

And amazing...I got all five kiddos in the same photo! Too bad the boys all have their faces covered...a sinister troupe.

And there's Mama in the background. She looks pretty relaxed for someone who just costumed five active goblins, and was expecting a houseful of friends with all of their little ghoulies and gremlins in tow for dinner and and an evening of neighborhood merrymaking.

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-10-30T21:43:00.000-05:00

My endeavor to mail 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

This card is on its way to Wanda. I received the nicest letter from her about a week ago. She is also mailing 52 letters in 52 weeks this year. It was such a lovely newsy letter, that anyone who picked it up and read it would imagine that we are old friends. But no, we have just become acquainted through this really wonderful practice we are in for the year.

accountability stats: 23 weeks / 44 letters

Welcome to my parlor...

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Renewing a Halloween tradition that started when our kids were little, Carey and I spent yesterday morning constructing a giant spider web in Kasey's front yard as a surprise for the littles when they got home from school. This year I found an awesome giant spider with wiry legs that was perfect for this project.

It was totally worth it to see their reactions. (I actually think Kasey liked it best of all.)

We are expecting a cold front to arrive tomorrow. We shall see if our work survives the winds!

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-10-26T17:37:00.000-05:00

Abducted by T.R. Ragan

Ten plus years after a teenager escapes a serial killer after being abducted and held for two months, he comes after her again. Creepy.

Mixed up...

2011-10-20T17:59:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...today marks the end of another work week for me. Nice to be home.

I found myself at WalMart on my lunch hour today. Since I'm going to have the kids on Saturday, I thought I'd better have some snacks on hand. Of course with all the Halloween candy on display, the candy corn could hardly be avoided. My friend, the other Kathleen, loves candy corn and Cheetos together, so I thought the kids might think that was a fun combination. I thought I'd expand on the idea a little, and I got some Crazy Corn and M&Ms to throw into the mix too. Done!

Maybe I'll have some better nutritional options available too. :)

Wouldn't you know that I forgot to pick up one of the main things I went for though? Ugh.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

photo credit: Midnight Ink Publishing

Dead and Berried by Karen MacInerney. A woman from Austin, Texas moves to Maine and opens a bed and breakfast. Hmmm...wonder why this book appealed to me. Well...I don't really want to own a bed and breakfast in Maine, I would just like to visit one. :)

Rachael Ray I'm not, but...

2011-10-18T20:31:00.000-05:00

I'm tired and my feet hurt. Now I remember why I keep an extra pair of comfortable shoes at work...too bad I didn't have any there today.

I did not want to cook for just me. But neither could I face anything takeout. So I threw together some bowties, and the only green vegetable left in the fridge (one lonely little zucchini). And mixed up a fabulous (but easy) Alfredo sauce. It was really good, but would have been better with more zucchini.

I know it wasn't exactly the best nutritional choice. But it was this or popcorn.

A Caitlyn kind of day...

2011-10-16T18:36:00.003-05:00

Caitlyn came over for her individual-attention day with us.

The first thing on her list of things to do was make a card to send to her great-grandmother. Apparently the card that Chloe sent last week got her a letter from Ma by return mail, and it made an impression. Caitlyn decided that she wanted to have a photo of herself on the front of the card, so we went out and took a few head shots, and settled on this one.

The inside of the card had a stamped message and a handwritten one too. She also drew a picture that I thought was adorable. It's of her and Ma...and she gave Ma white hair. (love!) She is already signing her name by dotting the 'i' with a heart.

Then we made a headband from a kit we got as a giveaway from Stephanie. We didn't get a good photo of it, because we were pressed for time...such a full agenda today...but she is wearing it in the photo below. She already has a design in mind for another one to make next time.

She and Papa got to play outside while I got even more crafty stuff ready. We also made the obligatory trip to Sonic. If you look close you can see the remains of the Oreo Sonic Blast around her mouth in the photo below with the turkey. :)

I've been wanting to make some 2x4 turkey decorations with the girls ever since I saw them on Ucreate last year! Carey prepared the wood pieces for us, and Caitlyn and I painted and sanded and glued to our hearts' content. Didn't it turn out awesome? I have a feeling it will be among their fall decorations for a long time. Chloe will get to make one next weekend.

We didn't have a lot of photo-taking time, because we were so busy creating all afternoon. It was a DE-light-ful day!

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

photo credit: publisher

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch. Murder mystery in seventeenth century Germany. Feuds, witch hunt, torture, herbs, signs...interesting!

Creating order...

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Something to be said about turning this...

...into this.

Always makes me feel a little nostalgic for those baskets full of fresh-off-the-line or warm-out-of-the-drier cloth diapers in days of yore.

Don't mention this to my husband...he will scoff, as he is usually the one to wash and fold the towels. It is not my fault he chooses to do them while I am at work...or busy with other things...or shopping...

A Chloe kind of day...

2011-10-06T21:30:00.000-05:00

She's the youngest. She is NOT supposed to grow so quickly.

Of course, if she insists on growing so quickly, I am definitely going to continue encouraging things like yard work. :)

(I really need to empty that complete sand box...sift all the sand to remove the leaves and twigs...check and/or replace the liner...and refill with the cleaned up sand. And while I'm at it, I should rake the back yard of all those oak leaves and acorns. Yeah. I'll get right on that.)

Oh, speaking of yard work...after dinner tonight, we were reading Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, and it said something about a wheel barrow. Chloe says, 'what's a wheel barrow?' I say it's something you use to work outside and move things...kind of like a wagon, only it has one wheel in front, and two handles on the back. She says,'yeah, we don't have one of those.'

Last week her daddy took her to the gas station with him. While he was there he bought a lottery ticket, and before putting it away, he kissed it. Chloe can't quite figure that out, so she asks, 'Daddy! Why did you kiss that paper?'

'Because it has numbers on it,' Daddy says. 'And tonight there will be numbers on the TV. And if they are the same numbers, you never have to work again.'

'I don't have to work now,' she says. 'I'm five.'

She likes to go to Sonic with Grandma, so of course we had to go. She also wanted to make a card to send to her great grandma. We read Eye Spy books and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. And colored and ate ice cream.

It's a pretty great way to spend the day.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-10-05T13:35:00.000-05:00

photo credit: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, a collection of humorous essays. It is available at an unturndownable price at Amazon right now. I needed something that I could enjoy in quick reading sessions this week. I'm not much of a knitter, but I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with so many of her thoughts. And the chuckles are most welcome.

Boo...hiss...

2011-10-04T19:30:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure I've bemoaned the atrocious customer service of Office Depot personnel here before. And I really try to stay away from their stores because of it. But today I really needed to pick up a couple of things and have something printed on a laser printer and save as much time as possible, so I made the mistake of stopping at the nearest Office Depot.

Verily I say unto you, they have the most apathetic and downright surly staff of any large chain store I've come across. And they are completely unapologetic about it!

Today I ended up standing and waiting. Finally I asked if anyone was working the printing counter, only to hear one employee tell another to help me, to which the response was, "I'll be there in a minute." Neither employee ever addressed me directly in any way. Oh, and by the way, I was the ONLY customer in the store...they were not suffering a mad crush of business. I waited several more minutes, and finally left my intended purchases on the counter and walked out before I embarrassed myself by...oh, I don't know...throwing something and screaming, maybe.

I would have saved more time and angst if I had driven the extra five miles to their competition in the first place. Now I have to add 'write letter of complaint to Office Depot' to my to-do list this week.

Oh, lover...I mean liver...

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is what Carey requested I make for dinner. Indeed. Liver and onions. And I actually prepared it.

If there are any doubts floating around as to whether or not this man is loved, this should dispell all. I think it's been about twenty years or more since I've made this meal. I usually suggest that he quench his cravings for it at restaurants. (Hey, I said he was loved...I didn't say he was loved beyond all reason!)

It actually turned out very well. I added some maple-smoked bacon to Mom's old recipe. It's true what they say...bacon really does make everything better! :) And Carey was very happy.

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-10-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

My endeavor to send 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

The hardest letter yet. This week I learned that a sweet friend lost her son...so young...I think he was only twenty-three.

accountability stats: 22 weeks / 41 letters

Necessary evils...

2011-09-30T17:50:00.001-05:00

Not so evil after all.

Yesterday I went to the lab that I usually go to for blood tests and such. It was PACKED...as in the waiting room was standing room only and the overflow was lined up outside. I have never seen it that busy. Since I was in a lot of pain (there was no way I would be able to stand for long to wait) and I had to be fasting for the test also, I asked the receptionist what time they opened in the morning. Her response was just plain bitchy in words and attitude. (I concede that she was having a busy day dealing with impatient people, but still.)

So this morning I got online and looked for other locations of the same med lab company (one my insurance takes). I found one nearer to me...in an easily accessed and new building (the one I USED to go to was kind of run down and not too clean looking), and the staff was awesome. The tech didn't balk at all when I told him we would both be happier if he would just start out with a butterfly in the back of my hand. (I know that sounds terrible to a lot of people, but for me it is the ONLY way to achieve results.)

Since I already had my phone out playing Words With Friends (hi Caroline!) while I waited, I asked if I could take a photo. He said they really weren't supposed to allow it...but then he asked if I would just be getting my hand in the frame. When I said yes, he told me to go ahead. Then he asked me what my plans were for the photo. I told him I blogged. He grinned, and said his wife was a blogger too.

I know this is a weird thing to post about. Normally I can't even look at the process, but looking at it through the camera wasn't bad at all...kind of detached myself from the actual deed, I guess. They took five big ol' vials full, and then we were done. No long wait. No germs in an overpacked waiting room. No bad attitudes. I will definitely be going back to this place when needed.

Ah...perfect...

2011-09-29T17:28:00.002-05:00

A rainy afternoon at home. Sitting in cloudy gloom...listening to thunder...watching my sweet husband dozing on the sofa.

Such a welcome drink for our thirsty landscape.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-09-28T17:13:00.000-05:00

I have been having a lot of pain lately. Last night my shoulder decided to take the spotlight, and woke me up continually. And today it has been miserable. I hope this book has some constructive ideas for relief and prevention.

And my trusty tens unit is paying for itself today. I don't know if it helps the condition in the long run, but it seems to make it feel better while it is turned on and the light electric current (from a 9 volt battery) courses through the electrodes on my shoulder.

Words With Friends...

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

I am a bit of a game junkie. And I'm a little competitive. When my friend, the other Kathleen, was here in June, we played Scrabble. It wasn't pretty.

So imagine my surprise when she asked me to play a new game she just found out about from a coworker...Words With Friends. It's a Facebook / phone app...basically just like Scrabble. Very fun and user friendly. Games can go on for days, as time allows for players. OOOOOhHH! I just got a msg that she played...it's my turn!!! Be right back.

HA! I'm still ahead.

One problem. She says she will only play with me until October first. She's using me to get ready for play with her mother and her brother...a sparring partner, if you will. Hrmmff!! Oh well. I'll take my fun where I can get it, and I'll give her a work out.

And I'm going to see if her brother will friend me. I hear he's the one to beat in their family.

Making ready Monday...

2011-09-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

I know. I know. It's way too early.

Don't worry, it's not staying up.

But I got rid of our decades-old Christmas tree after the holidays last year. So when I noticed that the trees were on sale for 40% off last week at Hobby Lobby, I decided to get busy. I went around to the competition and really looked at the trees...they were less expensive, but they were also cheaply made. So back to Hobby Lobby, where I had already picked out the style I liked best. It's an investment.

Quality and prices researched...check.
Tree purchased...check.
Tree home and in house...check.
Tree assembled to make sure I could do it alone...check.
All pieces accounted for and in good working order...check.
House smells like a fresh-cut fir tree...uh...nope.
Tree packed away again till Thanksgiving weekend...check.

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-09-24T16:38:00.000-05:00

My endeavor to send 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

Know what this card looks like to me? It looks like I need to start playing with vintage fabrics and my sewing machine.

Who is it going to, you ask? Well, I'll tell you who it's NOT going to. It's not going to my friend whose grandmother's vintage quilt top is sitting in my bureau waiting to be quilted...where it has been languishing for more years than I want to admit. I tried to give it back to her, but she wouldn't take it. Imagine...she wants me to actually get it quilted! So I don't want to send her something that might remind her of that fact.

Of course, maybe it's just my guilty conscience speaking...er...typing.

accountability stats: 21 weeks / 38 40 letters

Is anyone else as frustrated with blogger as I am?...

2011-09-21T08:50:00.000-05:00

Why does the formatting become more difficult with each update? I absolutely hate it that my text won't sit close to my photos! I don't dare hit 'publish' without previewing, and after each preview the compose window looks like the spacing is crazy. The little pencil edit icon that used to be at the bottom of a new post is gone, so I'm having to go to the list of posts to select what I'm working on to make an edit.
Waah!

Does anyone use Wordpress? I've heard it's harder to learn, but I'm so frustrated with Blogger that I'm getting desperate.

What I'm Reading Wednesday...

2011-09-21T08:24:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend, I read Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh. It was okay. I've read enough books about Southern ladies for awhile, though.

photo credit: Amazon.com

Now I'm reading The Upright Piano Player by David Abbot. It opened with such a tragic event...I hope it lightens up a bit.

Making it Monday...

2011-09-19T19:24:00.000-05:00

This is Polly the Pirate Witch. Counted cross-stitch and bead work done on perforated paper.

Well, I'm not exactly making this today...it's already done! Woohoo! And it's been packed up and mailed and everything...early even. But I wanted to show it to you all finished.

I made it for my niece...an early birthday present. Her birthday is the day before mine...just a week before Halloween. So I wanted to send it early so she could have it out with other decorations. (And so it wouldn't get lost in the shuffle around here between now and then!)

I don't send gifts...I don't even send cards...I'm just really bad about it--which is WHY I'm doing the 52 letters in 52 weeks challenge this year--but when I saw this kit, it just reminded me of her so much...she's a little bit of a pirate. :) I kind of like it without the hat, so I didn't attach it...thought I'd let her decide whether to attach it or not.

Seeing it hanging from the china cabinet knob shows the actual size better.

I loved making it. The thing I love most about counted cross-stitch is starting with a blank slate and seeing the progress made. Makes me smile. There's a pattern that's been packed away for ages that I'm thinking about pulling out now.

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-09-18T23:25:00.000-05:00

My endeavor to send 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

This week I wandered across a blog called The Handmade Card Blog. Sounded like something I needed to check out, and the very first post I read got my creative juices flowing.

This is my spin on what I saw there. The distressing pad was a brand new one, so the inking is a little heavier than I had intended...but I'm practicing imperfection and using what I have on hand, so it's going in the mail. It's going to a friend who is a fellow fan of Dean Martin, and the printed background is a page from his biograpy. I'm wondering if she'll notice. :)

accountability stats: 20 weeks / 36 letters

List of 100 things...

2011-09-16T22:47:00.001-05:00

I have somehow managed to bring on another muscle spasm in my back. Luckily I still have some muscle relaxers in the medicine cabinet...hope they are still good. Also trying a little electro therapy and taking it easy.

Anyway, I decided to go through my list of posts and see if there was anything in draft form worth saving, and came across this one. Not sure where I found this originally, but it has been sitting in draft form for a l-o-n-g time. Decided to go ahead and post it.

You bold the ones you’ve accomplished. Some of these I have no interest in. Some I hope to accomplish in the soon-to-someday range...those are the ones in green. And looking at it in preview, I see there are some formatting errors...and I just don't care...publishing as is.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (I've watched one from above in an airplane--that was super cool.)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (No, but used to be a foster parent.)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping...(well, not completely, and not on purpose...don't ask)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (well...I had a teacher, and I'm not very good, but I've spent a lot of time and effort on it)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - - doesn't take much to satisfy me
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (hmmm... I've paid for the coffee of the person behind me at a drive thru)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma...I tried

65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check - that's what happens when the hubs is in charge of balancing the checkbook
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.
77. Broken a bone - OH yeah

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (participated in a publishing a cookbook once)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (not the brightest thing I've done)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Called 911
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cellphone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-09-14T08:52:00.000-05:00

I finished Lye In Wait by Cricket McRae a couple of days ago. It was a cute, light-reading mystery. Easy escapism.

Yesterday I picked up An Inconvenient Wife by Megan Chance at the library. Late nineteenth century New York wife diagnosed with 'hysteria'...what we might call depression and anxiety today. Really looking forward to getting into this one.

I picked up a couple of other ones at the library too, but at the moment I can't remember what they were.

Family history...

2011-09-13T22:11:00.000-05:00

Don't these two guys look jovial?

Bobby's Social Studies project was due today. It was fun working on it with him this weekend...going through pictures and information...even finding some new documents online. He wrote about two men...one from his dad's side of the family, and one from his mom's side...who lived at the same time and both immigrated to the United States.

His other grandmother, Abuela (pronounced Way-la...by us anyway), provided an amazing book that had been organized and copied and bound by a very dedicated member of her family. I was so impressed. I need to get all my scraps of paper in one place! We printed a copy of the final report for Abuela, because I knew she'd like to see it...she's a teacher...in fact, she was Jared's teacher way back before we even knew we'd be related someday. We laugh about all the 'projects' Jared had that year he was in her class. She once assigned a 3D build of either a log cabin or a tipi (teepee? sp?), and since Jared inherited his mother's procrastination gene (in fact it mutated before it got to him!) we were scrambling the night before it was due. We ended up building a log cabin out of doggy beef sticks. Abuela thought it was wonderful. :)

I love helping the kiddles with projects. Special one on one time.

Catchin' up Monday...

2011-09-12T22:21:00.000-05:00

Well let's see...

My endeavor to mail 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

Saturday's snail mail went out today instead. Had to go to the post office for more stamps, and actually sent this along with something else that required the trip. Not a very good photo, but this was a fun little card to make. Inspired by some of Patricia Zapata's work over at A Little Hut. I happened to have floss and beads sitting here from my completed (woohoo!) project. I'll show that here soon.

52 in 52 accountability stats: 19 weeks / 35 letters

Tonight I made this...

really, really yummy Chocolate Pecan Pie. This recipe kicked it up a notch from my regular recipe, with the addition of semi-sweet chocolate chips and a healthy shot of bourbon. This photo isn't the greatest either, but I couldn't wait for the pie to cool completely before cutting and serving. My Kentucky friend gifted me with a really good bottle of Kentucky bourbon as a house warming gift last Christmas, and though I think she gave it to me just so I'd have some to serve when she visits, I thought baking with it was a worthy use.

The crazy cat lady, called me this evening and stroked my ego. I love her. Kind words coming from someone whose work I admire as much as I do hers, are high praise indeed.

We are back over 100 degrees F again. Fires are popping up all over. And I have either had a summer cold, or I am having a reaction to smoke and/or allergens in the air. It's lovely.

I have my iced coffee ready for the commute tomorrow, and my lunch packed. Things are ticking along.

News and weather...

2011-09-08T23:55:00.000-05:00

Blessed relief! The last few days have been MUCH cooler...95 degrees F instead of 105...and the nights are cool.

Now if we could have some rain, please. There are wildfires all over the state. About an hour and half away from us there have been 1400 homes lost. It is so sad and scary. Nearer by, around San Antonio, there are other smaller fires that have caused neighborhood evacuations. Rain, please. Please, rain.

Seven thoughts on the seventh...

2011-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty frugal in general, but the purse strings have gotten a little too relaxed. I think this has occurred over the months since we have moved. On the days I work, I blame the commute for not wanting to grocery shop, cook, etc. And being so much closer to amenities makes it seem not as important to consolidate trips as it used to be.

Also, I topped off my gas tank the other day, and it cost $25. I always zero my trip odometer when I fill up, and when I looked at it, it was sitting at almost exactly what a round trip to work is for me. It had not registered until then that I am spending $25 for every day that I drive in to work...kind of cuts into my take-home.

So I need to tighten the belt...cut expenses...be more responsible. So I thought I'd use the 7th to lay out seven steps I ~~can~~ will implement immediately.

1. Take my lunch to work. (I really hate taking my lunch, but it's an immediate step that can save big.)

2. Menu planning and grocery shopping...NO EXCUSES! Which will lead to...

3. Eating out less in the evenings.

4. No running to the craft store for just one thing and coming home with two sacks full...use only craft supplies on hand!

5. Cancel an unused membership.

6. Use up toiletries before buying more.

7. Conserve gasoline!

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-09-07T00:21:00.000-05:00

photo credit: Bethany House publishing

This week I'm reading Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson. It's about Civil War widows who head to Nebraska to homestead. I have a soft spot for stories of Nebraska homesteading, and I am really enjoying this one...especially since I got it free as a Kindle ebook special. :)

Making this Monday...

2011-09-05T16:55:00.001-05:00

Today I am making a mess.

Bobby has a school assignment to research family history, and Kasey asked if he could come over one afternoon this week to look at family photos and documents. First thing this morning I pulled out a box full of photos to get them organized a little. I know, I know...they shouldn't be in a box. I actually have photo albums to put them in, so maybe now is a good time for me to start that little project.

This represents one-fourth of all the vintage family photos my parents had. After Mom passed away I painstakingly divided all of them as equally as possible into four equal batches. I labeled the boxes A, B, C, and D, and my sisters and I drew from a hat to see who got which box. I figured we could ask each other later for copies if we were so inclined, but if we had to sit around discussing and dividing them together, we would never have gotten through all that had to be done when distributing the household goods in the limited time we had.

It is sad how few of these photos are labeled with names. I can actually identify all of our direct family members. But a lot of these are photos that my mother brought home from other relatives' homes after they passed away, so they are photos of in-law's nieces and nephews etc.

Exhibit A: I have no idea who the child in this photo might be.

However, I am greatly amused by what is written on the back.

It reads: "This was my first experiment with an electric flash bulb. It wasn't so good of sister but I took it especially to show you the chair. I am enjoying using it so much. The wood refinished beautifully."

Hmmm...experimenting with photography...sharing images of her home and latest furniture project. I'm thinking that this person would be a blogger if she were around today! I love the wallpaper and radio...the huge open dictionary and the encyclopedia volumes on the shelves...the berried-branches arrangement barely showing on the right-hand side...and yes, the chair is very cool.

'Sister' is pretty cute too...even if she was only propped up there to have an excuse to take a picture of the chair. :)

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-09-03T09:28:00.000-05:00

My endeavor to send 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

I was especially pleased with the way this card turned out. I made it for Lynne who had a birthday on the same day as Carey's. I knew just how I wanted it to look, because I pop into her etsy shop pretty regularly, and I always gravitate toward her tree beads.

And just because I was so happy with it, I'm going to show you an angle that shows its dimension a little better.

accountability stats: 18 weeks / 34 letters

Seed for thought...

2011-09-02T22:19:00.000-05:00

A week or so ago, I opened a package of assorted pastel bugle and seed beads to use in a project and dumped them in a bowl. It has been on my kitchen countertop since then.

Every time I walk by the bowl, its contents remind me of bird seed. Very pretty bird seed.

This is the kind of photo that my husband usually catches me taking, and he invariably asks, "You want a picture of that?"

Tomorrow I'll show you what I used the beads on. And I'll put the beads away.

Whine alert...

2011-09-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm tired of the heat. The summer doldrums have moved in and made themselves at home. It is unbearably hot, and dry, and my mood is suffering. It has been over 100 degrees F for about three months now. It's not even cooling off much at night.

I'm tired of the drought. Everything is brown and brittle...dead. We do not bother watering the yard except for the trees to try to save them.

I'm tired of my own company. I'm cranky. I'm completely unmotivated. And my patience wears wafer thin.

But today is the beginning of September. A friend once told me that we always have at least a brief cool front by about the third week in September. A hint of Autumn.

So I'm waiting. Enduring.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-08-31T22:28:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm STILL reading this one. Not really enjoying it, but I'm sticking it out. Not really reading except at bedtime as I've been otherwise occupied.

Yesterday was Carey's birthday, and we drove up to Arlington (5 hours one way) so that he and Jared could go to a Rangers game. I opted to skip the game and instead had them drop me off to visit with friends for a few hours. It was lovely. We decided to drive home after the game instead of spending the night, so we got home about 4am this morning. After sleeping till noon, today was spent doing a whole lotta nada.

More changes on blogger. Could this be the good changes I've been hoping for? Time will tell.

Making this Monday...

2011-08-29T22:59:00.002-05:00

Making some test patterns.

Also making...
trouble,
calculations,
decisions,
the week's menu,
grocery list,
shopping run,
meatloaf and baked potatoes,
and plans for a quick (but long) trip to Arlington tomorrow.

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-08-28T20:34:00.001-05:00

My endeavor to mail 52 letters in 52 weeks continues.

accountability stats: 17 weeks / 33 cards

A state of crossatonia...

2011-08-26T17:25:00.001-05:00

Did you by chance miss a post about what I was reading Wednesday? I'm on the same book as last week...not much time devoted to reading this week.

Have I been cooking anything up in the kitchen worthy of posting? Nope...living on sandwiches and fresh fruit .

Why? Because I have been in a state of crossatonia. What is that, you ask? It is similar to a state of catatonia, in that the sufferer is completely unaware of their environs, unable to act or react to their surroundings. Well here, let me find a better definition for you...

cross·a·to·ni·a - a syndrome characterized by muscular rigidity and mental stupor, sometimes alternating with great excitement and confusion brought on by a hyperfocus on the act of cross stitching.

Unlike some people :) who say they can't sit still for hours at a time, I have no problem doing so. In fact, my problem is tearing myself away...making myself get up and stretch and get the circulation going. And I am off this week, so last night I sat down to stitch, and finally decided that I should probably try to get some sleep when I saw there was light starting to come in the windows, and the piece I am working on started looking like this...

I have to say, I am making some very good progress...should be able to finish well ahead of the deadline I set for myself.

Fresh...

2011-08-23T13:43:00.000-05:00

Just looking at this photo makes my mouth water. Fresh fruit with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of chili. Yum!

I was introduced to fruit like this when there was a shop a couple of doors down from my office ...like an ice cream shop, but just fruit and fruit smoothees. Oh, when I think of the color of their fruit combinations! The shop didn't catch on widely, and they eventually closed. I still miss them.

Making it Monday...

2011-08-22T19:10:00.000-05:00

I'm very happy with the progress I've made thus far on my new cross stitch project. The photo shows an area which is approximately the size of a business card. I was really worried about my vision lessening my enjoyment. The last project I worked on was really unpleasant. Thinking back though, that was when I was still making do with readers instead of prescription glasses. The progressive lenses make my eyes much happier in the process!

Of course it doesn't hurt that my printer is also a copier with enlarging capability, so I enlarged the graph to fit on a 8.5 x 11 inch sheet...about double the size that came in the kit. And with all the color changes, I have resorted to using colored pencils to highlight what I have already completed. Ahh, so much easier to orient your eyes than just a page full of black and white squares full of squiggles. It's not the first time I've used this aid...that's a trick I learned a long time ago.

I feel like I've been reunited with an old love. ...sigh of happiness...

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-08-20T14:40:00.002-05:00

My endeavor to mail 52 letters in 52 weeks continues. And to recap, I didn't start till May, and I thought I might as well see if I could get 52 letters mailed by the end of this calendar year...that's why I've been trying to do more than one a week at times.

I pulled this card out of the archives this morning, wrote my letter, and walked it out to the mailbox. I actually do have an archive of handmade cards. I'm so much better at making them than actually getting them mailed. That's why I wanted to take the 52 letters in 52 weeks challenge. :)

Accountability stats: 16 weeks / 31 letters

A creativity high...

2011-08-19T19:20:00.000-05:00

Is there anything more exciting than being on the cusp of a new project? Not for me!

I've set aside this weekend to create...and the photo above shows my palette. It's a small project, but that doesn't necessarily mean quick. I'm a little apprehensive about it actually...these old eyes aren't what they used to be. But it is for a sweet someone's birthday, so I'm diving in.

Favorite photo memories...

2011-08-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

Is this not a darling photo? This is probably my finest moment, photographically speaking, pre-digital age. Remember back in the olden days when you took photographs, and you didn't know until at least a week later when you picked them up from the developer what you actually ended up with?

This is my (Great) Aunt Ruth and Uncle Ed. For all intents and purposes, they filled the role of grandparents for me. They never had children of their own. When my dad and I made our summer trips to Nebraska, he would drop me off for at least a few days visit with them. Aunt Ruth was the one who sat patiently teaching me to embroider and do other handwork. She gathered rose petals with me from her yard and helped me layer them in a tobacco can with cinnamon...homemade potpourri to take back to Texas with me. I loved to watch her work in her little kitchen, always remembering what my favorites were and having some on hand for every visit.

Uncle Ed ran her errands, worked in his garden...and sat in his chair or on the porch swing, chewing on an unlit cigar, and teasing in his sweet low-key way whenever the opportunity presented itself.

I took this photo in 1977 or 78. They would have been married around fifty years then. They loved each others' company, and they were still playful together. They were my best example of what a happy marriage could be. On this day, when I asked them to let me take their picture, they stood side by side, and stared straight faced at the camera. I asked them to smile, and Aunt Ruth resisted, at which point Uncle Ed, with his arm behind her, gave her a little goose. In her surprise she gave him a little punch to the belly (you can see him holding her fist), and they both ended up laughing. I could not have asked for a better photo representation of their personalities.

It's a real treasure.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-08-17T19:20:00.001-05:00

Just started The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber.

Saturday's snail mail on Tuesday...

2011-08-16T09:00:00.011-05:00

Photo-fronted cards again this week. I printed the photos on watercolor paper, then also used watercolor paper as the card base. Really gives a nice texture to the photo and a nice weight to the card.

accountability stats: 15 weeks / 30 letters

Monday...

2011-08-15T10:33:00.000-05:00

Got up at 9:00...stripped the bed linens to wash...oh, you know I've been meaning to make a new pillowcase for that little odd shaped pillow for years, I can do that today...got out the leftover fabric from the kitchen curtain...came across some sewing accessories in the search, so I organized them in a drawer...oops, can't cut out the pillowcase till I wipe down the countertop...oh, don't forget to plug the iron in to press the seams...waiting for the iron to warm up, I noticed some ribbon that I've been meaning to put away forever as well as some trash...oh, trash, I got two wastebaskets yesterday, I need to get those out and put them away...oh, the watch I bought yesterday was in the sack too, better get it out of it's hermetically sealed box and ready to wear to work in the morning...finally back to the sewing machine and made the straight seams and hems, done!...put it in the washer with the sheets and started that load...oh, look, there's some clothes still in the dryer, better fold those and put them away...

It's just another ADD Monday.

You don't bring me flours...anymore...

2011-08-11T23:45:00.002-05:00

Okay, I'll admit it. I used to have weevils in my pantry occasionally. In the flour, or baking mixes, etc. But years and years ago I read that if you bring those kinds of things home from the store and immediately put them in the freezer for a few days, the freezing temperature will kill off any larvae that may be in the package, and they will never hatch into adult bugs.

I've done just that ever since, and I can't remember the last time I've seen a weevil in the house.

I guess we've been eating some larvae...but I'm okay with being in denial about things like that.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-08-10T20:45:00.000-05:00

This mystery is very different from any I've read before. Eyes at the Window by Evie Yoder Miller is about the murder of an infant in an Amish settlement in 1810. It has a LOT of characters to keep track of, as each chapter is told in the voice of a different character...it reads like journal entries describing family relationships, work, history, geography, language, religion, guilt, and innocence. It's not exactly an easy book to read, but I'm really enjoying it. The chapters are short, so I'm able to make measurable progress in little bites, which is really good for my schedule right now.

Work's a bear right now...

2011-08-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

Yogi? No.

Smokey? Not exactly.

Teddy? Definitely not.

Bring on the tranquilizer gun, please.

photo credit: I lost it, and I'm too tired to find it again

Oh what a Monday...

2011-08-08T21:50:00.003-05:00

...but I did manage to put together a huge, relatively healthy chicken pasta salad for dinner...grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta, lots of fresh veggies. Enough to send a big bowl of it over to Kasey's too, so she won't have to cook tomorrow night after twelve hours at the office. And some for me to take for lunch at work tomorrow...talk about being frugal (see #3 of my 7 on the 7th list yesterday).

My coworker's husband passed away last night, so I'm not sure what my schedule will be for the foreseeable future. I feel so sad that she will probably find my card to him in tomorrow's mail. sigh.

A messy kitchen is calling me. G'night.

Seven random thoughts on the 7th...

2011-08-07T21:57:00.001-05:00

1. Last year it seemed that my reading had fallen by the wayside as other obligations and pastimes took precedence. This year I have been intentionally reading more...and it seems that my chores and crafting have fallen by the wayside. I don't seem to have time for it 'all.'

2. Unfortunately, exercise has also decreased as my reading has increased. Need to work on that one too.

3. I think I am a pretty frugal person. But since the move...what with the commuting to work and more time spent with my nose in a book...I have been falling prey to easy meals, either purchased out or easy to prepare. That has sent a lot of money down the drain. I mean to mount a new savings campaign...on the food front AND on other discretionary spending fronts.

4. We went over to the kids' for dinner tonight. Beau made stuffed pork chops. They were fabulous. I tried a new recipe to take for dessert...Cream Puff Cake. It turned out quite well. It wasn't too sweet...creamy but not too heavy...and pretty easy. I think we will be having it again.

5. Autumn decorations are already out in the stores. I've even seen Christmas decorations! Which reminds me that we will be needing to purchase a new tree for this year...our old one had served us well for nigh on twenty years and was donated away after the holidays. I'll have to start watching for our next one.

6. I really need to clean my laptop screen.

7. Think rain!

Saturday's snail mail...

2011-08-06T22:09:00.000-05:00

My endeavor to mail 52 letters in 52 weeks continues...

Today I sent out four cards/letters. Two say 'healing'...one went to a friend's husband who picked up a terrible infection while in the hospital for a heart bypass...one went to a friend who fell and is in a lot of pain, making her search for employment before the school year begins a real challenge. The other two say 'Friends' and were just to say hello. All were made using my beach photos.

I need to go back to the beach...I've thought of some more words that would make great card fronts. But I like to go to the beach in the wintertime...no crowds.

accountability stats: 14 weeks / 28 letters

Ode to the Rainier cherry...

2011-08-05T22:26:00.003-05:00

Oh, you cutie
filled with beauty.
I wait all year to taste of you.

Come to mama!

( I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw these still in the produce department on today's grocery shop. They're kind of a splurge, but I could't resist one final indulgence for the season.)

What I'm reading Wednesday...

2011-08-03T16:04:00.001-05:00

I just finished The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley around noon today. It was good, but didn't grip me as strongly as another book by the author that I read recently.

Not sure what I'll start on next.

Par-tay...

2011-07-30T22:51:00.001-05:00

Look! All the cupcakes and cake pops made it to the party! (Beau's cupcakes weren't in this photo, but they were all there...trust me.) Chloe was really happy her big day had finally arrived.

And how old are you, Chloe?

And how old is Daddy?

Just chillin'...

2011-07-29T08:56:00.002-05:00

These (and about this many more of their friends) are hanging out in my fridge till Saturday. Yikes!

One of the special treats for the girls last weekend was driving through Starbuck's for a cake pop. Chloe loved it. Caitlyn not so much...she took a bite and gave the rest to Chloe. But since Chloe DID like them (she asked to go back to Starbucks the next day, but I had to disappoint her), and it is HER birthday party on Saturday, I made these for her using the Bakerella recipe and instructions.

I also have two dozen cupcakes in the freezer waiting to be decorated. Wow...it feels so good not to be doing all this at the very last minute!