Off to sew

This is the dog bone pillow I made G for the train trip.  Each of the other family members got one also.  Most were monogrammed

I was distracted from working on them yesterday.  I thought I had some women's shirts around here, and I wanted to make one for Lady Bug.  I had found a design that I thought was so cute - just the features of a bunny.  I couldn't remember where I put the women's shirts when I "cleaned" my space.  That means they simply got stashed some place other than where they were that seemed to make sense at the time!  I couldn't find them, so I started on the bags.

Well yesterday I had a light bulb moment!  I remembered.  So I got one for her; then started looking for the design I had downloaded recently.  I couldn't find it!  In fact, there were several that I couldn't find.  I decided to go back to the site where I had downloaded the design - they are free (and now I know why).  I found it, downloaded it, and re-formatted it.  It was supposed to have 5 colors - brown, pink, black, white, and red.  When I loaded the design into the machine - it had 14 colors!!  It was a psychedelic rabbit!


I knew it really wasn't a problem - all I had to do was substitute colors as I went.  So I did.  Things went along well until I had to change bobbins.  These are pre-wound bobbins, and they are way too full.  Anyway, it created a little problem, but it turned out ok.

I went back to check on the downloaded design.  I thought perhaps it was that change that screwed with the colors.  Nope - others did the same thing.  Now I know why the designs are free.  They may or may not stitch out correctly.  Anyway - I loaded a picture for you to see.  As you probably know, if you click on the picture, it will enlarge it.  I forget that I am probably the only one who doesn't know things like that!

There is no outline to the face.  It is just the cheeks, eyes, and ears.  I thought it was really cute!

So - now off to continue on the bags.  They get easier as I go.  I had major problems with the first one, and the problems were my fault!  So, I am learning.

Peace.

Quick hello

Just wanted to drop by to say "hi".  Since I stupidly left the Easter baskets for three of the grandkidlets at the SSB, I decided I was going to make Easter bags for all six. Am I behind, yeah, you might say so since I haven't even loaded the design on the USB stick to load into the sewing machine.

We had family dinner here last night.  At 12:30 while G and I were at our neighborhood Mexican restaurant still eating lunch post church, Daughter calls.  She asked if we could go to the airport to pick up Chef Andy - who wasn't supposed to be in until 7.

Being the Queen of Procrastination (yep - still not downloading or sewing), my house needed to be picked up (actually, burned to the ground to start over would be more like it) and vacuumed.  Even though 5/6th of the grandkiddlets are walkers, they still play on the floor.  So...

Anyway - so we went to pick up Chef Andy.  He is really a chef!  He and SIL were scheduled to go to A&M today to check out problems they are having with one of the ovens that their company sold A&M.  As usual - even though the plane wasn't late, they weren't in any hurry with the luggage.  Since Andy was coming here from his Utah ski trip - he had his ski bag.  Surely glad we have that Highlander now.

Of course, since I was having Sunday dinner - that meant Chef was coming to dinner.  I had already planned the menu with one exception.  I was fixing Mexican Shepard's Pie.  Good enough.  So I threw a salad together, then got the hair-brained idea to make corn bread.

I use a mix.  It was old.  I also may have mixed it too early.  Anyway, the two batches were more like flat bread.  It was terrible. Not a good showing for the chef.

But the evening was successful.  We got the house "clean" - at least part of it.  I vacuumed, cooked, and burned the wowie out of my thumb on the handle of the 475 degree cast iron skillet with the doomed corn bread in it.  All was right with the world.

So now I HAVE to get up to sewing.  I only have about four projects to sew to go into those bags that haven't been uploaded yet.  Neither have the projects.  Ah, well!!

Oh - and I got a quick trip in to the vet.  Simone isn't acting normal.  Or perhaps she is acting normally for a 8+ year old Boxer.  I just wanted to be proactive.  We get the lab results back tomorrow, but everything from the visit in normal.  Just $250.  What's money, right??

Peace.

Systems check

Eyes - pretty clear and dry
Nose - mostly clear, occasional stuffiness
Sinuses - not much of a headache

All in all - things are looking up.  While I have taken to the antihistamine WITH decongestant along with the nasal spray that does four things including shrinking swollen nasal passages, G has just suffered - for two weeks.  He thinks he has a cold.  I don't think so, Skippy!

With the heat we have been having, I think it is probably mold.  Most of the pollen counts are fairly low.  Trees either haven't begun to bloom or were so stressed by the drought last summer there isn't really tree pollen.  Grasses, surprisingly, haven't begun to grow vigorously, thus no blooming.  So that leaves the dreaded mold whose spore count is always high.  Even during the summer last year, the mold counts were high. Go figure.

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us.  G and I decided that Family Dinner would be cancelled.  Usually the kids have other things to do.  And not to disappoint,  Son and DIL have plans - with her mother.  Ah well, "a son is a son ..."  I really didn't expect to see them anyway.  I really thought they would be with some of their "friends" that are rather questionable anyway.  But I guess it is all the family from her mother.  We may go to Daughter's if they don't invite the world.  She said no,  but that can change.

I really could/would/should just stay home Sunday.  I care nothing about the Super Bowl.  I used to watch pro football, but it has lost its luster for me.  When I see those guys "playing a game" for all that money, it makes me ill.  This carries over to all pro sports though.  I used to be a real basketball fan.  Not any more.  You have to have a money tree to go to the games, and then for the players and owners to have a lock-out.  That was the final straw.

If you took just one salary of a pro player, you could probably hire at least three teachers for a year.  With the higher paid ones, you could run an entire small school district.  Shameful.

OK - I try not to get on soap boxes like that, but I have just one more thing while I am b*tchin' about money and salaries and the like.  When I look at the money spent on elections, I get livid.  There is no excuse for that kind of spending.  Not to become a public servant - oh, forgot.  They don't serve us.  They are also professionals.  Hummmm, is there a link there?

Anyway, our plans for the weekend aren't big.  I plan to lock myself in upstairs and sew.  And get pictures to post here and other places.  We made really cute little heart candy holders that we embroidered and then they are to be woven together.  Got the embroidery and cut them out - not sure about getting it woven.  Wasn't going well before I left, so I just threw it in the machine trolley and scatted.

Hope you have a great weekend.  But then I believe most weekends are good.  Mine aren't as good as when I was working, but then I have a week of weekend days.  Too bad it took me so long to get to that point.

Peace.

NUTS!!!

I thought I could successfully steal the video of Lady Bug winning her 50m breast stroke from the Facebook page.  It was just a tease for me.  On THIS computer, it worked.  I later found out from the comments that I was woefully wrong.

Anyway, she did win that meet, and placed in each and every one she swam.  She gathered a lot of points, and today since she is 11, she is not in the same group.  Things will be a little different for her.  Instead of (and excuse the terrible pun)being the big fish in the pond, she will be one of the youngest.

I have to give it to her however.  She got up and went to swim practice this morning.  When her dad asked if she didn't want to just chill - she said "no, all the good swimmers will be at practice this morning."  What a kid.  I think I am going to have to make sure I have my passport up to date for 2016!  She has her eyes set on it.  With this dedication I think she will make it.

Angelica went home this morning.  She was so excited to see the kids!  She was getting really settled in here too.  She was getting a little jealous of the attention I would give Simone.  That broke my heart because I really wish we had that little girl living here.

She had a bit of excitement when she went out for the last time last night.  G came in to tell me there was a rabbit in the middle of the yard.  Simone even was a little interested.  She usually has a "live and let live" attitude.  She doesn't care about the squirrels - and we wish she did!

I asked him to take Angelica out front, but she went to the back.  Well - the rabbit was back in the middle of the yard.  Angelica is fast!  I would have really freaked out seeing that.  I was so afraid Angelica would have a midnight snack. G said he never saw a rabbit move so fast.  Fortunately it made it under the deck before contact could be made. Fun and games at Grandma's house!

Peace.

"Bummed"

Yep , that's me.  The craft show was/is today.  It was down to the wire for the snow to be blown.  If you remember, I said that there was a great chance for rain today.  It was still 70-80%.  The time that the decision was to be made was 10:30.  That was when the snow was to be blown.

Well - when I got up it was very dark and overcast.  Then about 9ish, the sun had the audacity to come out.  I got my first email from the person who chairs that committee. She said she would send an email between 10:30 and 11.

I had already made my decision.  As frantically as I worked last night, I still wasn't ready.  Then after G and Son picked up and unloaded firewood yesterday, I knew any help I sought from G was gone.  I knew  he was going to be too sore.  And he is.

So I told Daughter that I was pulling out.  When the email came, the show was a go.  They decided to blow the snow, so there will be no rescheduling of the  event.  There went my last chance for a show this year.  This means I haven't done a show in 1 1/2 years.  Her being at a swim meet was a big part of my decision.  She couldn't help, and G certainly didn't want to help.  That was clear even last night.

Well, here it is 1 PM, and we are having rain.  I will bet that the snow won't last very much longer, and I am sure there won't be many kids there to play in it.  I know there have been lots of kiddos out of school sick.  I would hope their parents would think better of them  being out in this much cooler, wet day playing in cold, wet snow.

So - my income for the day $0.00.  I guess it's ok though.  I am not sitting out in the wet cold.  My merchandise is not getting wet.  Have to look at the positives.  Got what I wanted - rain.  Not when I wanted, but still got it.  Didn't get to church because it might not have rained.  I need a weather wizard!

Peace.

Ho-hum

Another hot, dry day.  That means staying in the house, which doesn't really bother me, but it is driving G insane.  That, in turn, is driving me insane.  He begins his tirade on global warming again and again.  He is so irritable about the whole thing.  He insists that he is  not staying here in the heat and dryness next summer.  That is really stupid.  I don't know where or what he is thinking about doing, but it is stupid.  Plain and simple.

Last night I had about enough of it, so I asked why he is getting so upset about it.  Really.  It doesn't make sense to rail and rant about something if you cannot really do something about it.  I have too many other things that I CAN do something about.

I agree that there is climate change.  It is obvious.  I try to explain that some possibly be a natural cycle in nature - which I really believe.  I also know humans are just about to put the final insult on our world.  But ranting and raving about it, threatening to spend thousands of dollars to live someplace else for several months to get away from the heat ...   It would really be funny if he follows through on that and ends up where heat follows - or gets into flooding conditions.  Stupid.

Enough of things that smack of politics.  I don't do that here.  I try to stay away from politics and religion.  Sometimes things sneak in, but that isn't what I focus on.  I get enough around here.

Simone is still restless at night.  That means she is banging and scraping furniture in the bedroom.  Either that or she is trying to get into her crate which is an impossibility.  I am trying to give her more and more time without the e-collar.  She is pretty good about not attacking her stitches, but I have to put it back on if there is a chance I might not be really watching her.

Last night, I decided that I would put the antibiotic ointment on the stitches.  She doesn't like to roll over - at least right now.  G gets upset with her, and the other night he said he wished I would do the ointment.  So I did last night.

I had her in the bedroom with me.  I got on the floor with her and made her roll over.  I was able to get a lot of ointment on her.  Then it came time for me to get up.  I realized I had made a crucial  mistake.  My ortho guy has told me not to kneel.  He fears titanium pressing on the floor with the thin little knee cap between.  Well, there I was.

After about 10 minutes my solution finally came to me.  Thank goodness we had the attic taken in several years ago when the kids were teens (to get them and their teenage messes out of the way).  I had made the mistake at that time to put the stairs in the closet space that was in the hallway - just outside the master bedroom door.  I had always  disliked that placement - after it was too late.  Last night I was delighted with that placement.  I scooted out the door and pulled myself up the steps until I could stand.

Yesterday afternoon I went to work on more of the baptismal blankets.  My machine HAD been working like a dream.  Note the operative word there - had.  I completed the shell which is so very stitch intensive.  I moved onto the date.  That's when all hell broke loose.  The thread formed a huge "bird's nest" on the back side, ripped the stabilizer, and stretched the blanket.  The machine and I fought for at least an hour.  I came back down to cool off.  I was about to pitch that machine out the window and say good riddance.  Anyway - after I went back, there were still some problems, but I completed the blanket.  It isn't perfect, but by that time there was way too much invested to just throw it away.  (I guess I need to serve you some cheese after that whine!)  I only have (ONLY???) five more to go, and then I am free for a while.

So this is the excitement in my life.  A grumpy husband, a sly dog, and terrible weather and fights with my sewing machine.  Sigh.

Peace.

I feel like I have a new career

I really feel like I am now a meteorologist!  It seems that the weather has become the only topic I write about.  Boring.

But here I go again.  Lamenting the fact that the rain chances that we had last week - at one point a 50% chance - dwindled away to  nothing (well a FEW scattered showers) that left us dryer than before  because of the winds from Lee.  Great.

We have major wild fires in the state.  As of just a few minutes ago, one that has been burning for three or so days is zero controlled.  That is really scary.  It is not a concentrated population area, and there have been 600 homes lost.  And still the rain chances for the remaining part of the week - zero.

I just looked at my stats when signing on - next week I will hit 1000 posts.  All boring, but wow.  That's a lot.

To get to thinking about other things - Lady Bug is going into a year around swim program and meets.  She has made the Silver classification which is a little more advanced.  I think that is so great.  She only began swim team summer before this.  She didn't know how to swim then.  She wore the floaties in the pool - now she is a silver swimmer.  She is so excited.

I got into making the baptismal blankets yesterday.  Wouldn't you know - the first one botched up.  My fault though.  Instead of trying something new on a scrap - as I should have - I thought I was just too smart for that.  I ended up with the blanket bunched in the middle of the design.  Those babies (the blankets, not the baptised) take me about two hours or more to complete.  This will be a loooooong project!

I finished Doodle Bug's dress that matches her sisters, and I have about half of another set for their cousin - Little Bit.  I don't know if DIL will like it or not.  She likes to take her business outside of the family.  Instead of perhaps paying for the fabric and throwing in a bit, she goes to another business and pays them $30 for the dresses.  So be it!

It is almost time for me to head back and chain myself to the machines again.  I moved the furniture around on Saturday, and I paid for that yesterday.  I am so out of shape!  I was so sore.  I got a little concerned when my back had a few twinges.  It would have been so easy to get back into those bottles of pills, but all I have to do is remember the three week withdrawal.

I go to Dr Death on Thursday.  I forgot to get the blood work done last week, and since it needs to be fasting (again) I made an appointment.  The only morning appointment I could get was tomorrow.  I know he will not have the results.  The only result I am interested in is the breast cancer marked (CA 27.29).  I am going to tell him about the pains I am having.  I think I have nerve damage from all the surgeries, but the little nagging fear is that I have the cancer spreading to the ribs.  Perhaps he will order a CAT.  Don't know.  We'll see.

Peace.

Here and there

The weekend was, as I knew it wold be, busy.  The kick-off is meeting daughter and family along with their present BFFs for dinner at the local Mexican Food restaurant. That will  be another story.  It's fun, but mainly it's good because I don't have to cook.


Saturday was Monkey Boy's birthday party at a laser tag place.  Needless to say, we DID NOT participate in the games.  But we have missed so many of his parties - along with the other two's parties - that since we were in town, we should go.  Got to talk to some of Daughter's friends (and mothers of the boys of course.).


When I got up Saturday I put on my glasses when I got out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen.  I have a condition where my eyes will be blurry because of the excretions from the tear ducts. Whenever I looked up that morning, I couldn't see.  I could see fine close up, but distance was just a blur.  In fact my eyes are blurry now - but close up. I kept waiting for it to finally clear, and I still could not see far.  


I finally took the glasses off,at  only to discover they were my READING glasses.  My new progressives are in a wire frame - like I would always wear before last year when I got the thick frames,  So I was trying to look at far things, I couldn't see.  I guess when I took the readers off, I put them were the progressives should have been. Que estupido!  Now I can tell the difference by feel - IF my fingers are not numb.  The readers have a little twirl on the ear pieces.


Sunday was church.  I managed to piss G off because I wanted to get there 30 minutes early.  We now have two services with 30 minutes between for social.  The folks I wanted to see all are in the early service because that's when Children's Church is.  So it was just my luck again.  They all went to the baby's room meet about who was going to teach what during Children's Church.  So no fellowship there!


The afternoon was great and worked like I wanted it to.  We were taking Lady Bug to the little suburban theater's yearly Mellardrammar.  She loved it.  Popcorn was thrown at the villain. She threw the popcorn she didn't  eat during the time he wasn't on stage.  But she absolutely loved it, and being an interactive play, it was great.


After the play, Family Dinner was held at Daughter's house.  Monkey Boy and Dad were at a baseball thingy.  THAT's another story.


So that was my weekend.  Fun filled.  I had great fun - loved it when we were on our way out of the play when the fella playing the villain admonished LB to "get your PARENTS (!!!) to buy better seats next time."  He certainly made my afternoon.  I haven't been mistaken for her mother in 10 years! 


Peace be with you!

Where is it?

I know it was here just a minute ago, but where in the heck did July go?  I know I am anxious to get out of this heat.  I know I was rooting for Tropical Storm Dan to give us a little moisture.  He turned out to be fickle!  But who took July away?


This summer has been a real challenge for most of us.  Not only is it dry, but the heat is like living in the clothes dryer.  Well, someday it will end.  I don't want another winter like the last one either.  We had too many freezing days.  My fruit trees are just beginning to come back.  That is a real trick now that it is hot and dry.  I don't know if they will ever be the same.


The big event on this week's agenda was going to the Embroidery Club meeting.  I am getting better and better with my machine, and it is going to be difficult for the organizers of this club to find things that I need/want to learn.  


We did beautiful lace snowflakes today.  They are impractical.  I don't want/need them for decoration, and they wouldn't sell at all.  I would have to charge $50 for each one according to the suggested pricing on all this embroidery stuff.  They also take 60+ minutes to complete.  I guess that wouldn't be so bad if I could set 10 machines going.


And so, another day of finding fault with things.  I guess I sounded rather pompous with all that.  I don't mean to.  I still have a lot of things to learn with that machine.  It can almost fix dinner.  It has features I haven't even considered using yet.  


So now it is time to lug the 50 pound machine up along with its 20 pound machine trolley.  I also need to re-organize the craft room.  I have put some things away so securely that, wait for it ...   come on you can guess the answer ... I can't find them.  What a surprise.  I still cannot find my other wedding ring.  It is someplace verrrrry safe - at least I hope it is.  So it goes with things in the craft room.  Things that will be found after I die, and my kids are repulsed by all the stuff I have,


Oh, I watched a little of the program "Horders." Bless his heart - my dad was a horder.  I never thought of it as a sickness, but what else do you call it?  He wasn't a crafter that needed stuff like he had.  He reupholstered furniture, but that was it.  When he was living alone, you couldn't walk through his house.  


I guess I'm like that a little, but as a science teacher, we used everyday things for our equipment.  Even as just a regular teacher, you never knew what you could use for bulletin boards and the like.  I do about 5 different crafts.  I use a lot of different stuff.  I know as soon as it is in the trash can, and loaded on the trash truck, I need the item.


Right now I am looking for some colored "jewels" to put on girl's hair things.  I remember putting them someplace out of the way.  Well just where is that place.  I'll bet I find my ring there too!


Peace be with you.

A bit of this and a touch of that

Daughter and I did the little craft show here in the city. Every year there are more vendors, and the take is small. My cards were the hit this year. I think they would have sold last year, but I was getting out of the hospital the day that was rescheduled. Since it was after Christmas, I doubt they would have sold either.

We did not sell a single wreath. They are beautiful. In fact, we sold eight cards, a sleep mask and two girls coins purses. What a waste of five hours on a cold Sunday afternoon.

I went to a craft show on Saturday. That started my back hurting. Setting up yesterday almost killed me. My back was screaming. So much for me not having the injection next week. I am not as well as I thought.

I decided the only way for any relief was a hot bath. I cannot kneel. I have to kneel to get out of the tub. So I thought I would bring a pillow. After the water was out, I put in the pillow. It wasn't going to work well. So I managed to maneuver to get out. I wasn't going to be known as the old fat lady who had to be hauled out of the tub. Not in this little city! Not on your life. It wasn't a pretty picture, but I got out!

Best news of all is my machine is ready. It is earlier than I thought, even though it is too late for this craft show. I will make some things for the grandkids now. Such is life.

Simone may have cancer. It is something that boxers are prone to. She had a bit place on her head. The vet did a quick biopsy this morning. The cells didn't look cancerous, and she has one little place with the big one. They are mostly in a circle - with one outside the circle - a little way out. G met a boxer that lives on the corner who does have that cancer - a mast cell cancer. He is ten, and this is killing him. So we just have to wait and see.

Enough rambling. My hydrocodone dosn't have any effect on me, does it. I feel just the way I have been writing. Ohhh bad. I will try to be more with it tomorrow!

Peace be with you.

This just in!

I got a response from the company about my problem.  I have copied and pasted it below:

We recommend that when placing the USB cord into the machine, that it is placed in carefully to prevent any of the prongs from becoming damaged.  If you are experiencing a problem with the cord, please contact your authorized Janome dealer for additional assistance.

We appreciate your interest in Janome America, Inc.

Well I thought I would just ram it in from below, above, or from a side with enough force to move the blasted machine (which is in excess of 50 pounds).  What a help.  I really can’t believe it.  Bury your head in the sand.

Smokin'

That's what my credit card is doing. After two days of concentrated shopping, that little sucker is just smoking. Can't wait for this bill.

Wednesday was the general stores. Yesterday was the grocery store. When you are going to have 11 people at the out in the sticks SSB, you have to be sure that you have everything you think you are going to need. It is about 30 miles to town, which only has a single yucky grocery store, and that trip is 45 minutes one way. So not having something is not an option.

When the checker told me that I saved $122 between my coupons and the store savings, I knew the bill was going to be the national debt. And it was. But when you are feeding six adults, one preteen who eats like the food is going to be taken away with no more coming (and is still thin as a rail - just like my dad and her uncle - bah!), food is consumed in a hurry. The entire back seat of the truck was completely filled - to the point that one bag spilled its guts when I opened the door here at home!

G was put out. And he will be more put out when it is time to load it on Wednesday. I don't know what he thinks we are going to do, but it has to get there. The sad part is that the kids will be bringing food too. As I lamented yesterday, Son and DIL will leave on Friday afternoon, and Daughter and SIL will leave Saturday morning, but there is still the time that we are all there. Hence, the national debt of a grocery bill, and a lot of "stuff" to load.

Just gotta love the holidays. I wish I had a larger cash-back than I do. I could use it. Of course after this bill, I may have it!

Peace be with you.

Here again.

Yesterday was once again a la-la land day. I had another round of injections to block nerves in my back. I have finally learned that I am to come home and go to bed. I finally have found if I remain in the vertical position, I will have the headache from hell the next day. As it was, I only stayed up for blunch (combination of breakfast and lunch since I had to be NPO). The second time was dinner and a little sitting up for some big screen tv for Dirty Jobs! Today - headache for half the day. I don't think it was worth it. I should have settled for the little bedroom screen since I fell asleep when the program was half over.

Today I had blunch again. What fascinating writing here! Everything you ever wanted to know about my exciting life. But that was because I slept until almost ten. The headache you know. It is finally gone as I write this at 1PM.

I wrote about deadlines before. Well she almost did another to me. She wanted a Harry Potter cape. Now I don't know anything about Ol' Harry. Never read the books, never watched the movie. I gave only random looks at the posters. I envisioned a cape - not too much different from Dracula. Hey no problem. Two days for perfection - one day for be careful with the seams. Then today I found that it like an alb. Basically a coat - with sleeves and buttons no less.

Sunday at dinner, SIL dropped a toga type thingy on me, but it was more fitted. I suggested a long t-shirt with large boxers. That was shown on the cover to the breast plate. I have since relented, and now even more so. They don't need it until the Friday before Halloween. That I can handle.

I think Daughter is a little disappointed that I was only producing 4 burp cloths and one onezie that I wrote about before . But if she were to buy that amount of baby stuff, it would be at least $40. I think that is enough. She can get over that one. The second onezie was definitely sacrificed to the embroidery machine. There were so many thread nests on the back I'm not sure the embroidery would last through the first washing, plus there is a tiny hole at the end of one of the e's. I could repair that - but it is going to be sacrificed today.

So - I am off to do a few things around here.

Peace be with you.