Now for something completely different

I got these from the Holiday in July RAOK list on Crochetville.





The sunshine elf from Arizona sent me the above bamboo yarn. It is sooooooooo soft and huggable. I love it. and in one of my favorite colors too. Now I have to find the perfect pattern for it. I'm thinking maybe a scarf?






And the above beauties came from an elf in Brooklyn New York. They arrived the same day that we got my biopsy results. Such perfect timing has to be in God's hands.

I have discovered that I love crocheting with cotton. Oh dear.. do I feel another addiction building? probably.

Look at what my OCD has led me to buy now:





These I ordered from the Knitting-Warehouse (yeah I know.. the K word, but they have awesome shipping rates).






And these came from Elmore-Pisgah. Can you believe that those cones (1 lb of lovely cotton each) only cost 5.99!! They're a special run and when they're gone, they're gone.

The blue/tan variegated is called Mountain Sky. I love it.

The other variegated is called Passion. Just yummy.

The only problem is that I can't use the stuff fast enough .. LOL.

Now I only have to decide what to take with me to work on in the hospital (in case of abdominal surgery instead of the lap).

Decision made

Can't I just crochet my way out of this? Give me my hooks and some giant balls of yarn (pounders.. lots of them) and let me crochet myself a cocoon .. let me sleep away all this drama, emotionalism and HARD decisions.

The biopsy came back. It wasn't positive for cancer, but the news isn't perfect either like it has been in the past.

I have "complex endometrial hyperplasia with moderate atypia and squamous metaplasia". Basically what that means is that I have a 30% chance of the atypia turning into cancer. My uterus needs to come out. And everything I've found says that Atypia is a precursor to endometrial cancer.

I have no problem with them taking my uterus out. It's the fact that they also want to take my cervix and ovaries. I have had very little symptoms of menopause... and I'm very worried about being thrown into menopause with no help.

Also my cervix has never been a problem, every pap I've ever had has been negative. New studies suggest that the cervix is important for maintaining support of the pelvic floor (delaying or preventing prolapse) and may also play a role in sexual satisfaction.

I'm emotional and obsessive thoughts have taken over my brain. I can feel them, but I can't control them.

And I'm terrified. My doctor offered to send me to an Oncologist for a second opinion. An oncologist. Everytime I think about that I want to cry. I just want to wrap myself in a blanket and hide.

I go back to my docs on July 2 to ask my ton of questions. Surgery is scheduled for July 23.

To surgery or not to surgery

This is a very much non-crochet post.

I am going to post about my recent health difficulties regarding my menstrual cycle, so if this type of information bothers you, or it's not what you want to read right now, you may want to move along to another blog. Please come back later, I don't plan to focus on this exclusively. And while being sick this past week, have made lots of dishcloths and will have pictures up shortly.

Now, back to the health issues.

I've been dealing with irregular menstrual periods for several years now. It started maybe 5 or 10 years ago? I really don't remember how long ago, it's been a while. At first I'd just miss a period ...and I'd get all excited thinking that God had blessed me with another baby (even though my husband has had a vasectomy. Sometimes those don't work...I personally know a couple who have had a post vasectomy baby).

After wasting money on pregnancy tests a few times, I finally went to the GYN and she told me it was probably due to my being overweight, that fat tissue stores estrogen and since I have an abundance of fat tissue, I have more than enough estrogen for me. Joy.

At that time, I don't remember that we started any treatment, my periods were just irregular, and not unusual for me (my normal cycles are fairly heavy, lasting about a week).

A few years later, I am continuing the missing periods pattern, up to missing 3 or 4 months in a row and then when I do have one, it's a monster. Not painful, just heavy flow and clots. Unfortunately, the doc I had been going too moved away, so I had to find a new one.

I did find one, and she was ok at first. Put me on provera 10mg/day/ for 1st 10 days of the month. This was to fool my body into making me have a regular monthly period. This worked, but like the idiot I sometimes am, I didn't continue to take the medicine. I'm just not a good patient sometimes.

Things rock on, I get to the point where I'm 6 months between periods, but now I'm spotting almost all the time and when I do bleed.. whoa Nelly. My doc decides I need an endometrial biopsy. I agree.. not knowing what I'm in for.

OMG talk about pain!! I was completely unprepared for how much that hurt. And of course it came back negative (which I could've told her in the first place.. but she was being a good doc. and doing what she's supposed to do.. making sure I don't have cancer).

I keep going to this doc for a couple or 3 more years, still having spotting between periods. She knows this (or is supposed to) and yet she prescribes antibiotics once for a bladder infection that I don't have. Turns out they think I have a UTI because of blood in my urine. I'm spotting DUH!! of course blood is going to show up in my urine!! That ticks me off a little, but I let it go.

Second thing that makes me unhappy with this doc is that a year later she wants to do another endometrial biopsy. I ask for pain meds before hand.. they don't have anything to offer. I have some vicodin in my purse from a dental procedure. I ask if I can take that. The nurse checks with the doc and comes back and says unless I have someone to drive me home, that no. I can't take it. I don't have anyone to drive me. Phooey. The nurse gives me my med back and I take it anyway. I KNOW how the vicodin affects me and it's not too strong for me to drive while taking it.

The difference is amazing. This time the biopsy doesn't hurt. I drive home just fine. And again the biopsy is negative.

What really tore it for me with this doctor is something she didn't do. Along with endometrial biopsies, she's been having me get pelvic & transvaginal ultrasounds. I get them done in the town I live in because the cost isn't too bad. My doc is in another town an hours drive away. Well, she asks me to get them done in her town.. her reasoning being is that she knows the technique they use and is more comfortable with their radiologists interpretations. I think, ok, that's reasonable and agree to get the U/S done there.

Until I go to schedule and find out what their fees are. OMG, no way. You see, our insurance on me has a very high deductible so I end up paying most things out of my own pocket. Fortunately, except for this ongoing menstrual problem, I'm generally very healthy.

I'm not going to pay this other clinic this huge fee for the U/S when I can get it done much cheaper in my town. So, I get it done where I want to do it and go back for the follow up appointment. Doc says NOTHING to me about my not following her directives. This makes me think she's lying and I decide not to go back to her.

Fast forward 2 years. I'm still having monster periods and the spotting in between is nearly continuous. I decide it's time to start getting things done and besides our community has a new female GYN. I won't have to drive an hour to see the doc. This is good. (we've had a male GYN for a while, but I don't like going to male GYN's.. I generally find them to be MCP's and unempathetic. I said generally. I know there must be good ones out there, I just haven't run across them.)

So, went to see her June 5. Had regular checkup.. including pap. She also scheduled me for mammo and U/S. Mammo because it was time for another and U/S to check the bleeding problem. I know I have fibroids and maybe they had gotten really enlarged to cause the continuous problem. The doc and I discuss me trying the provera again.

Mammo & U/S were scheduled for June 20. In the meantime the docs office calls around the 10th or so and says they need to repeat the pap.. they couldn't get enough cells because of the bleeding. I'm no longer spotting now.. I'm having a real period.. inspite of taking the provera. I tell the docs office this and they schedule me to come in on the 21st.. thinking that my test results will be in and I'll probably be through bleeding. I could tell them that I won't be finished.. I hardly ever finish.. just slow down, but it will still be a good time to talk to the doc about the test results.

Come June 12th.. I start bleeding super heavily. I'm soaking a super plus tampon every few hours, and wearing a pad. I get up one morning and the tampon I put in the night before falls out of me into the toilet along with huge clots. Grosssssssssss. I've never had that happen before. Thank goodness for those toilet wand things where you change the scrubber out between uses. That worked to grab the tampon out so it didn't go into the septic system. Sheesh.. hubby would've been furious about that.

I'm thinking that this will only be a day or so of super heavy bleeding.. I've done that before. And besides, I have to take my son to orientation at his college in a couple of days.

Orientation doesn't go the smoothest, but I get through it. I posted about it a few days ago. I think I got overtired at orientation because since I got back home, my cycle continued on, very heavy.. having to change every 2 hours (which really disrupts your sleep pattern, let me tell you) and now I'm also HURTING. My abdomen is cramping, and my back and my hips ache. What is this? I haven't had dysmenorrhea in ages. I mean, it's bad enough that ibuprofen isn't touching it, vicodin isn't helping. Skelaxin WITH motrin helps some.. what works best is vodka martinis. But I don't like to drink during the day.. and don't really think alcohol is the remedy.. but it gets me through till I can see the doc.

With all this bleeding and now pain, if someone would have offered me a hysterectomy at that point.. I'd have said.. when and where. I'll be there.

Finally by June 20, my bleeding is beginning to slow a little. I can occassionally go 3 hours between changing. I get mammo done.. there's a spot, but it clears on compression. Technologist wants me to come back in 6 months, but the radiologist says 1 year. Maybe I'll split the difference and do 9 months?

U/S also goes well. I do still have fibroids but they're very small. Unlikely to be the cause of the excessive bleeding. My endometrial lining is very thick though. Ovaries are small (normal for my age).

so, yesterday I go to the Doc, still bleeding. I tell the nurse and tell her I'd like to talk to the Doctor even if we can't redo the pap. The Doc comes in and says that the tests were good, nothing bad showed up and that in the light of my heavy bleeding she'd like to do an endometrial biopsy.

Lovely.

I ask if she can give me pain medication before hand. She says all they have is 800 mg of Motrin (Ibuprofen). I reluctantly agree (wishing I had brought my vicodin from home). Even with the motrin onboard, I'm scared. Upset, crying, nauseous and almost fainting at one point.

I get through it.. it's not too bad. Uncomfy, and the speculum kept coming out of me (never had that happen before) and then one time there was a quick sharp pain, as if someone had pinched me on my inner thigh.. but that was it. Not bad at all, thank goodness. One thing that helped is that I was already dilated a little from bleeding. Before, with the second Doc, she always had to dilate my cervix a little to get inside to take the biopsy. I think she also took a biopsy from the vaginal wall. I do know I'm not allowed to wear tampons for a week. ewwww.. I hate using pads.

Good and bad points about the biopsy:

Good in that IT IS OVER WITH until next time.

Bad in that I have to wait another week to get the results.

Good in that she's willing to do a hysterectomy on me

Bad in that my anatomy is such that a vaginal approach won't work.. she'll have to go through the abdominal wall.

They don't do endometrial ablation in that office (a burning away of the endometrium.. sometimes cures heavy bleeding.. sometimes doesn't), so my choices to cure the bleeding are either birth control pills or a hysterectomy.

I'm still thinking, and will have to see what the biopsy shows.. but.. if there's no cancer.. I'm considering giving the BC a try... at least until the first of the year.

Then if BC isn't working, in Jan or Feb have the surgery.. so my deductible would be met for the year.. and I'd have a whole year to get other work I need done accomplished.

I think I'm going to ask my hubby if he can come with me to the Doc next week.

New WM Uni's

Does anyone else think that the "new" walmart uniforms (navy polo's and khaki pants) look like the "standardized dress" that many schools now require?

I don't know whether to hate the new wm look (MUCH harder to find someone to help you) or to laugh at it and be thankful because it will give those of us who are fighting school uniforms just one more piece of ammunition.

Standardized Dress? You mean you want to program my child to work at WM?? Get REAL!!!!

It's scary though.. I found a website where WM serfs were posting about the new requirements.. and here's part of what one of them posted:

" I have been wearing this uniform for almost 3 years. ... You don't have to wonder what your going to wear, the expense is cheaper ... , and it doesn't make me feel inferior or superior to the management team. You can wear any kind of shirt that is within the colors as long as they don't have any writing or emblems that are not WalMart (they can be plain shirts).
...."

Sounds EXACTLY like some of the pro-uni arguments I've read. Someone (the walmart worker and the people in charge who instigated the new uni) bought the propaganda. :(

Orientation Blues

Well, the orientation visit to my sons university went well. For the most part.

He will be attending Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches, LA (Natchitoches is pronounced Nack a dish or Nack a tish). NSU is a great small university (houses the Scholars College of Louisiana and has a very strong math & science department) and I love the town of Natchitoches too. The movie Steel Magnolias was filmed in this town.

We arrived Friday early enough to have a very nice dinner at The Landing and then made a trip out to the local WalMart to buy some things we had neglected to bring with us.

I had a hard time going to sleep Friday night.. finally dropped off about 1am and woke up at 4:24 AM.. and couldn't go back to sleep. Argh.

Got to the school in time to get a great parking place, got registered, turned in his Selective Service ( I kept wanting to call it Secret Service..lol) and vaccination info. Found that the Transcript that the HS gave us wasn't official (envelope wasn't sealed). I had questioned the person in the HS office about that, but they assured me it was fine. Sheesh.... That will teach me to deal with someone less than the secretary. But not a huge deal, they let him go on and register.

We then got to wander around and visit with other students and parents for 90 minutes until they were ready for us to go into an auditorium. There was a nice presentation, really cute routines and then they took the students off in groups to talk to them about the university.

Parents got to stay there and listen to other talk and we got to ask lots of questions.

Then they sent us all to lunch at the main dining hall. The leader of the orientation said it was only about a 1/2 mile away, but did advise us to drive because of the rain forcast.

Guess what? I didn't want to lose my great parking space so I walked. BAD decision. I didn't even get my unbrella out of the van. another BAD decision.

I saw my son at lunch.. he was doing the "if I ignore her, maybe she won't see me and come talk to me routine". Too funny. I sat a few tables away and alone.. and his new friends guilted him into coming to talk to me.

After lunch, I started walking back to the auditorium (by the way.. NEVER believe a skinny person when they say a walk is only 1/2 mile.. that was at least a mile walk if not further) and the bottom fell out of the sky. I walked halfway back and all kinds of cars passed me by.... I didn't expect any help as I didn't know anyone there, but it was discouraging. I got about 1/2 way back and was as wet as if I had stepped out of the shower when a car with NSU emblem on it stopped and gave me a ride. It was almost useless at that point, but I took it anyway.

I spent the rest of the afternoon freezing in the auditorium. I did try to go to the ladies room and dry off with some paper towels, but they were out of towels. No one had thought to make coffee for us freezing people either.

One lady came in the restroom and stripped down to her underwear and wrung her stuff out before she put it back on. I didn't bother.. no use.

They never told us where to find out kids again. I was so frustrated with the university by this point that I would've left if I had been able to find my son. I looked at the schedule for the kids and went to the building they were supposed to end up at. I was so tired.. and there was NO ELEVATOR from the ground floor to the 1st floor. arrrrggghhh.. I thought the Disabilities Act made elevators required?? so I climbed stairs, exhausted. Still couldn't find kid. Sat and waited and called hubby and griped and waited and son FINALLY showed up.. he dumped all his papers on me.. and he went to get his ID made.

We were finally finished at 4:30pm. Starving. Decided I was too wiped out to drive 2 hours back to camp (where son is working) then another hour home. Besides, road to camp is red clay road and with the downpour of rain.. that road scares me. Tried to get room at HI.. all they had was smoking.. so went back to Hampton. Sweet talked girl at Front desk into AARP rate even though I couldn't find my card. Went to dinner.. slept.

When I drove son back to camp yesterday, I was right about the red clay road. It was almost washed out at one point.. to where there were two water filled holes at the bottom of a hill.. and the holes were catty-corned to each other and couldn't avoid either of them (right hand side of the road had a sheer drop off and the left side, trees were down). I could fell my van sliding as I went through them at 5mph.

On top of all this, I have had bad menstrual bleeding since Tuesday.. and it's not getting better.. (yes I am seeing a doc about this). Just difficult dealing with HAVING to visit a bathroom at least every 2 hours if not more often. And pain.

I am tired and I think I am going to go order myself some cotton from elmore-pisgah as a reward for all this.

Son is signed up for 18 hours (including 5 hours of band) and wants to join a band fraternity. We still have lots of things to do, like setting him up a local bank account in that town, buying his meal plan, reserving books, finding SOMEWHERE to get a menningitis vac.(I've been battling with our doc's office for at least a month over getting one... this is a whole another blog post..later).. but at least he's now an official student.

I don't know whether to be happy for him or sad for me. A little of both I suppose.

A bedroom WIP

( WIP stands for Work In Progress for those who aren't familiar with the crochet lingo.)





Old border coming down













Some of the Junk from the bedroom,
currently in my living room.


I had to be out of town for two days, so this is where we sit right now. Painter is due back today (Monday) to work some more.

I'll be very glad when this project is done and I can have my LR back.

FOUND!!

This month I've been trying to clean out ds's bedroom, it was a horrific mess (stepped in a rotten apple core recently when trying to find something in there...AND found an open (and full) coke can next to the laptop we bought him for college.. laptop was taken up and I resolved to clean this room, no matter how bitter the complaints).

We've gotten the floor clean, the dresser repaired (there was a broken drawer guide) and now have started to pull stuff down off the closet shelf.

This was in a giant garbage bag on the top shelf. It's a giant bear nap mat. It's made in two pieces with thick quilt batting inbetween.






I made this for my daughter when she must've been about 2 (She's 20 now). I remember making the bear playfully "growl" at her while I was working on it..then after I embroidered the smile on it, she told me "Good, now it can't growl at me anymore". Bless her heart.. I had no idea I was scaring her.

It's in pretty rough shape, having been through two kids and washed in the machine.

I still have the pattern book somewhere.. I remember there was also a bunny rabbit.

And here's the wallpaper that my son wants to be rid of:






I think at 18, he's outgrown it a bit.

We're going for black baseboards and black trim around the doors. The door to the hall, the door to the bathroom and the closet doors will be red. We're going to try to paint over the wallpaper with Dover White (an eggshell color) but if it won't cover, we will paint that one wall red.

There's also astronaut bears border wallpaper around the top of the room. If the dover white won't cover that either, we'll have a red and black stripe around the top.

That's the plan so far anyways...we'll see what happens next.

Laundry

I think I'm going to print this out and tape it to the cabinet over my washer.. for the days that I'm feeling put upon. Aren't things so much better now?

'Washing Clothes Recipe' --
Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:
This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook - with spelling
errors and all.
WASHING CLOTHES
Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.
Sort things, make 3 piles
1 pile white,
1 pile colored,
1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling
water.
Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub
colored don't boil just wrench and starch.
Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.
Hang old rags on fence.
Spread tea towels on grass.
Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and
rock a spell and count your blessings.

Blanket of Roses COMPLETED!!

I started this thing on a whim.. and have finally finished.

In a hurry, so I'll just put the pics up now and will talk about it later.











as always, click the pics to see larger.

It's a pattern no longer in print but can be found online:

Picture:

http://megan.cc/RosesBlanket/

Pattern:

http://megan.cc/RosesBlanket/pattern.html

I used Caron Simply Soft in Rose Violet, Autumn Red as the A colors
Soft Pink as B
Dark Sage as C
Off White as D

For those who don't like Octagons, but do like the Roses; This is ALMOST the same pattern:

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwi...tongarden.html

I've gone through and read the instructions and they are very very similar.

(I thought this blanket was much bigger than it turned out to be.. haha.. going around the edge took at least an hour for each round)

Tragedy at Virginia Tech

My heart and prayers go out to the students, faculty, support staff, family, and friends of all concerned.

It's so hard having a child 1000 miles away at college. Even though they're not at the school affected.. my heart just cries imagining a small portion of what those families must be going through.

Story here, in case you missed it on the news.

A white girls opinion

A white girls opinion probably doesn't count too much in the Don Imus controversy. However, I did run across this essay by a black man (at least I'm assuming he's black by the photo at the top of the webpage), that I think makes a whole lot of sense. If for some reason, you can't view that essay because it's on AOL, here's another good article by the same gentleman.

Until the powers that be start going after the rappers who call women garden impliments and buzzing insects, I think they're operating under a double standard.

Just my opinion.

edit: the original link I put in didn't take people to the correct pages. I've gotten that fixed now.

Triskaidekaphobia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triskaidekaphobia


http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Triskaidekaphobia.html

And my Fav.. short & sweet:

http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-tri1.htm

2 more for Project Linus

Both for Project Linus's support of the TAPS "Good Grief" Camp.

First is the Daisy Square (I call the square FlowerPower..cuz it looks so 60's).. I got tired of all red/white/blue and decided to make the centers different colors. I cut off one square in the bottom right in the picture.. oops...it has a pink center.

Made with Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn". Pattern available from a very generous person on crochetville. Look for Daisy Charity Square or see a previous post for a link to her blog.





Next is another Hearts & Diamonds..made with all Caron yarn. The red & white are the pounder stuff.. the blue is wintuk. This was my first time to use Caron pounders. I don't like it that much and don't think I'll be buying it again. Nothing really wrong with it.. just not what I'm used to working with. I think the wintuk is better quality.

Hearts & Diamonds is a free pattern by Coats & Clark. It used to be a free tear-off in the stores, but now it's available online.





click the pictures to see them larger.

Headline news today had a short story about what the Easter bunny and the cross had to do with one another. They interviewed several people and no one knew that rabbits were a PAGAN symbol. CNN said that Christians adopted the bunny as a symbol of Easter.

THIS IS NEWS TO ME!!! Bunnies have NEVER been a symbol of christianity as far as I know.

Good Grief.

Signs of a Abuser

This was recently posted on Dear Abby, I don't know the original author.

Signs of a abuser (male or female):

1. PUSHES FOR QUICK INVOLVEMENT: Comes on strong, claiming, "I've never felt loved like this by anyone." Pressures the new partner for an exclusive commitment almost immediately.

2. JEALOUS: Excessively possessive; calls constantly or visits unexpectedly. Prevents you from going to work because "you might meet someone"; checks the mileage on your car.

3. CONTROLLING: Interrogates you intensely (especially if you are late) about whom you talked to and where you were; keeps all the money; insists you ask permission to go anywhere or do anything.

4. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: Expects you to be the perfect mate and meet his or her every need.

5. ISOLATION: Tries to cut you off from family and friends; accuses people who support you of "causing trouble." May deprive you of a phone or car, or try to prevent you from holding a job.

6. BLAMES OTHERS FOR PROBLEMS OR MISTAKES: It's always someone else's fault if something goes wrong.

7. MAKES OTHERS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OR HER FEELINGS: Says, "You make me angry," instead of, "I am angry," or says, "You're hurting me by not doing what I tell you."

8. HYPERSENSITIVITY: Is easily insulted, claiming hurt feelings when he or she is really mad. Rants about the injustice of things that are just part of life.

9. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OR CHILDREN: Kills or punishes animals brutally. May expect children to do things far beyond their ability (whips a 3-year-old for wetting a diaper) or teases them until they cry. Sixty-five percent of abusers who beat their partner will also abuse children.

10. "PLAYFUL" USE OF FORCE DURING SEX: Enjoys throwing you down or holding you down against your will during sex; finds the idea of rape exciting.

11. VERBAL ABUSE: Constantly criticizes or says blatantly cruel things; degrades, curses, calls you ugly names. This may involve sleep deprivation, waking you with relentless verbal abuse.

12. RIGID GENDER ROLES: Expects you to serve, obey, remain at home.

13. SUDDEN MOOD SWINGS: Switches from sweet to violent in minutes.

14. PAST BATTERING: Admits to hitting a mate in the past, but says the person "made" him (or her) do it.

15. THREATS OF VIOLENCE: Says things like, "I'll break your neck" or "I'll kill you, " then dismisses them with, "Everybody talks that way" or "I didn't really mean it."

And my own rule:

"A man (woman) never looks under the bed unless they have hidden there themselves". If you are being unfairly accused of being unfaithful.. it's not you, it's the accuser.

I'm Just Saying............

Why in the world do people move to a new area.. have a superior attitude, make insulting remarks about that area or population and then wonder why they haven't made any friends since they moved there?

Is it just me or does that make no sense at all?

I'm just saying.........

Another thing that bothers me to no end... since when has the whole world gone broadband? I know I am on the low end of the bell curve having dialup in the US.. but last I heard, most of the world doesn't have fast internet.. just the United States.

I am frequently closing webpages that have oversized pictures (learn to slice or resize your pics folks!!.. if I can learn how..so can you!!)or the sites that have music without a way to turn it off?? ewwww.. instantly closed. Worst of all are the commercial sites that force a flash display on me willy-nilly. If I want to buy shoes, a dress, flowerbulbs, powertools, whatever your widget is.. I don't want to spend 5 minutes waiting for a flash movie to load. grrrr You've very likely lost a customer.. I will move on.

And the folks on eBay who think they attract customers with all the backgrounds and supersized pictures?? for get it. I espescially hate the mouse trails.. I once told a seller that his mouse trails were irritating and kept me from wanting to bid on his item. Idiot cussed me out in email, and blocked me from bidding!! HAHAHAHA.. Idjut did me a huge favor. Can you imagine the trouble I would've had with a seller with that kind of attitude?

And what is it with alot of sellers doing private auctions now? I refuse to bid on those. Way to easy to hide Shill bidding (friends and/or family bidding on the sellers item to drive up the bid) when auctions are private.

I'm just ranting...........

Daisy Square for Charity

Doesn't this look like the old "Flower Power" designs that were ubiquitous in the 70's? This design is courtesy of a talented crocheter from Crochetville.






The one on the upper left still lacks one round.

The square pattern is available free.. with one caveat. The designer requests that upon receipt of the pattern that a square is made and sent to her. She is assembling these into an afghan to be donated to various charities. There's lots more information on the designers blog.

These I'm making will eventually go to Project Linus disguised as a blanket. I'm doing them in Red/White/Blue for the PL drive for the Good Grief Camp/Camp LeJeune during Memorial Day weekend put on by the TAPS Organization (Taps stands for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors). They will give red, white and blue blankets to the children at the camp to help comfort them.

I 'm using HobbyLobby's "I Love This Yarn" to do the r/w/b.. but I'm going to start doing the centers in various colors (yellow, pink, black, brown, etc.) This will help to break up the colors without ruining the theme.. I hope. If my PL coordinator deems it inappropriate for the taps drive.. well, it can go to a local hospital or shelter.

I rediscovered the audio portion of the wayback machine (or internet archive) while looking for old timey bluegrass for my DS technical theatre class (they're getting ready for UIL competition.. UIL is like district and/or state competitions in other places. Texas does University Interscholastic League.. have to be different .. lol). Anyhow, while searching for Open Source music.. I ran across the audio books on the internet archive. Whoa Nellie!!!

I've downloaded the first 8 or 9 chapters of "Pride and Prejudice" and am listening to them while I type this. I will eventually burn this to CD so I can torture my son during our morning drives to school (he's been dekeyed due to numerous progress reports.. grrrr). I'll have to go and see if there is an audio book version of "The Importance of Being Ernest" which is one of his future assignments in English. (picture me with a wicked grin).

Spring break starts tomorrow too ... good for listening on our day trips too. heheheheheeeee

Found the old song "Wish I were a single girl again" while digging through the open source applachian music last night. This song was also in the movie "Song Catcher" , and it makes me want to see the movie again (great movie for the applachian music, the rest requires a little too much "willing suspension of disbelief"....).

Anyhow, the movie has an old granny midwife singing this song, very effective. The lyrics go:

When I was single, went dressed so fine;
Now I am married, go ragged all the time.

Chorus:
I wish I was a single girl again,
O Lord, don't I wish I was a single girl again!

When I was single, my shoes did screak;
Now I am married, my shoes they do leak.

Three little babies crying for bread,
With none to give them, I'd rather be dead.

Wash them and strip them and put them to bed,
Before your husband curses you and wishes them dead.

Wash their little feet and send them to school,
Along comes a drunkard and calls them a fool.

When I was single, I eat biscuit and pie;
Now I am married it's eat corn-bread or die.

When he comes in, it's a curse and a row,
Knocking down the children and pulling out my hair.

Dishes to wash and spring to go to;
When you are married, you've all to do.

Suppers to get, the cows to milk,
Them blame little children is all crying yet.


Sure makes one think twice, huh?

Randomization

Found this in the tagline of someone's email today:

If you want happiness for an hour—take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day—go fishing.
If you want happiness for a month—get married.
If you want happiness for a year—inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime—help others. -Chinese proverb

I like that.

Flying is getting to be hazardous to a mother's peace of mind. Put DD on the plane today.. we were lucky and got to the terminal early and she got an early flight into Atlanta. But the flight out of Atlanta.. oh dear. She wasn't able to get an earlier flight to her final destination, and her scheduled flight had problems. :( The engine had an oil leak and the pilot didn't want to fly it. So they moved her to another concourse and she's gonna be about an hour later getting in.

I think she's begining to realize why Mom had her fly a day before she absolutely had to be back.

One of the members on crochetville husband was found unresponsive beside his car/truck yesterday. The paramedics were unable to revive him. She's a sahm and has two young daughters. I feel for her.. having lost my dad when I was young.

DS is trying to fail senior english AGAIN. I don't know what to do with the boy. I'm not gonna pay for college for him to screw up like this. He'll have to go out and get a job and support himself if he fails college. Of course, if he doesn't graduate, the university he's interested in isn't going to want him.

Went to the HL after dropping dd at the airport.. nice to shop in a place where they actually have large stores for a change. Found some "I Love This Yarn" yarn... reminds me a lot of Caron Simply Soft. The skeins are 7oz and cost 1.99! The color selection was limited (burgundy, red, navy, royal and white) but I bought 2 red, 2 royal and 3 white.. thinking of doing something for the Taps Project.

We have a new driveway.. it's pretty. no more bumps and holes. we can drive on it.. but can't park on it for another day or so.

Update to Frazzled Friday

Well, here it is Tuesday and I finally feel recovered enough from the weekend to post about it.

But first I want to show some flowers from my yard. My husband and I select for hardiness... if a flower can't survive severe neglect.. it won't fare well with us.















Now, to tell about Delta airlines and my weekend.

My van was finally finished at 5pm friday, and it was only that they had tried to put a non-toyota timing belt on it. Once they got the correct belt on, it was fine. So DH and DS left for their weekend and I stayed home alone (sigh.. lovely to have time alone now and then). DD was scheduled to fly in at 3:44pm on Saturday.. so I got up the next morning and headed for the airport early.

My thinking was that if my van truly acted up again, I'd have time to get it towed somewhere and then get a taxi or rental car to pick her up. And if it didn't give me trouble, I could do some shopping in a larger city (this is a good thing.. right?)

The van worked perfectly. I got to do some shopping (pics of the Joanns shopping haul later) and then went to wait at the airport. Cell phone rings... It's Delta letting me know that the flight has been delayed and it won't be in till 4:07. Oh well, that's not too bad.

It's delayed again, now coming in at 4:25. :( Then there's an announcement.. it's been cancelled! DD and I have been on the cell phone with each other off and on.. and she doesn't know why they're cancelling the flight.. all she knows is that they moved her from one concourse to another.

Finally, she calls and said she's been put on a 8:48 flight.. she should be in about 10:00pm. And Delta did give her a meal voucher so she can eat on their dollar. They tried to put her on an earlier flight, but it got filled up before they got to her.

I went down to the delta ticket desk and asked what was going on. The very nice man behind the counter told me that a flight before hers had a crew not show up (Probably due to bad weather elsewhere) and then her flight had a mechanical problem. So Delta was faced with trying to fit passengers from two earlier flights onto later flights.

This was about 4pm that we finally found out she would be coming in at 10. I left the airport, went and had a awful supper at Cracker Barrel.. bleah.. the potatoes were cold and tasteless...I complained to the waitress and she didn't care. so phooey on her... she lost the tip I would've normally left.

Then I went and got a hotel room, I don't like to drive after dark unless I have to, and with the van having been persnickety and with husband out of town, decided it was better to sleep there than to drive home. I took a 2 hour nap and then went and picked up DD.

The rest of the night was uneventful. We had a good breakfast the next morning and then came on home.

When I got home and checked my email.. I had 7 notices from Delta about the flight changes/glitches!! Amazing.

DS and DH had a great time at the senior weekend. Nothing very exciting happened to them that I know of.

Frazzled Friday

Letter to my sister (names and places have been concealed for an attempt at privacy)

Thanks so much Sis (and DBIL and DN) for being willing to do this for us.

Last time I checked (no time to check this morning) they weren't assigning seats on the first flight, infact, the flight looked overbooked. So DD will need to be there more than an hour ahead of time to make sure that she gets a seat. And please make sure that she has her Travelers Checks.

I'm running a bit frazzled this morning. Had my van in the shop earlier this week, just to get it serviced..routine maintenance. Picked it up yesterday and about the time I got in the driveway the check engine light came on.

So I have to take the van back in again this morning. Now, here's where the stress comes in. DH and DS have a trip planned this weekend for Senior Weekend & so DH/Dad can visit the campus and so that DS can attempt to test out of some freshman classes.

If the van can't be ready enough to make a trip to the airport (about 90 miles one way).. I might have to go with the boys tonight and then drive up Saturday afternoon to pick up DD. I'm frantically doing laundry while this is being typed and checking the hotel to see if they will take small animals... in case our vet can't keep Madchen on short notice. This realization came to me at 2:30 am.. and I've been doing laundry since as once I take the van to the shop, I may be stuck there for several hours with no ride home.

It will all work out.. The two towns are only about an hour apart...but I tend to worry when things don't go according to plan. It's all in Gods hands I know.. but it does help to prepare!!

Thanks again for being such a helpful sister.

Progress Report

Got some more octagons completed and sewn together.. thought I'd show how it's growing.







I also discovered that the Charleston Garden pattern is almost the same as this one. It makes squares instead of Octagons.. so as my Partner in Crime over at CALPALS said.. this solves the problem of how to make a square pillow out of an Octagon.

Magnolia Square, not a Waterlily

The square was found.. thanks to some smart folks from CrochetPartners.

The pattern is at Crochet Musings If that link doesn't work, try this one.

Here's my version of it.




I think it might look better done in a yarn with more "body" to it (stiffer). I made this out of caron simply soft in soft pink, off white and dark sage.

Many thanks to all who searched for the pattern.

WaterLily Square

I actually don't know the name of this square, but it does look like a WaterLily to me.






Someone showed the picture on Crochetville, and since then I've been searching for a pattern. No luck so far, but the search has been fun.

I think I can noodle out the pattern for the petals (the middle ones look like a sc, dc, tr, dc, sc shell, not so sure about the outer petals) and the green square shouldn't be to hard to approximate.

It's the pink ball in the center that I'm not sure about. And wouldn't it need to be stuffed with something to keep it from flattening out?

P.S. Could it also be a Lotus Blossom?

Walmart dissing Sewers/Crafters?

Good article here about Walmarts decision to close it's fabrics/crafts areas and what we can do about it.


sewing.about.com/b/a/256500.htm

P.S. The online petition is probably worthless. I suggest snailmail for best effect.

Another Hearts & Diamond throw

I'll probably give this to ProjectLinus for a teen, unless some other good use comes up for it. A little too femine for my ds and dd has enough blankets at the moment. And I did this pattern for all 4 sisters & sis in law a while back.

Did this to bust stash. Using 4 skeins of Red Heart kids in color Jade (sure looks turquoise to me) and 3 skeins of RH super saver Amethyst. Had to buy 1 skein of RH Turqua to finish out the heart sections (couldnt' find RH Kids).. I was short only 1 oz!! GRRRrrrr

One of my favorite quick (and free) patterns. Thinking of doing one in RWB for ProjectLinus for their memorial day drive.

Spyware sends Teacher to Jail

I recently learned about the case of Julie Amero, the subsitute teacher in Connecticut who is possibly facing 40 years (yes.. 4 0 ...) for having pornographic popups come up on a computer while in a classroom.

She's a SUBSTITUE.. the computer wasn't hers. The regular teacher isn't being questioned. There wasn't current blocking software being used.. The IT director isn't being questioned.

This is a travesty of justice, another case of zero-tolerance gone wrong.

I could reiterate the entire case, but so many others have said it better than me, so I will just give some links to some well thought out blogs and news articles on this.

http://www.geeknewscentral.com/archives/006784.html

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-rgreen0130.artjan30,0,4371427.column?coll=hc-utility-local

http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/learning.now/2007/02/more_details_emerge_in_the_jul.html

http://www.alternet.org/rights/46925/ (~~some comments on this site have profanity..)

http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/computerworld-julie-amero-is-guilty.html

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070124/NEWS01/701240317

http://preview.tinyurl.com/255wq2 (~~ new york times article)

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070222/ (~~ need to scroll down to "popups" article)

http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/434 (~~excellent, but very long at 7 pages)

http://julieamer.blogspot.com/ (~~ blog by Julie's husband)

Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni

Can you transmit flu over the web?

Monday I was reading my friend Y2KSurvivors Blog about him not having PeterPanSalmonella and then his kids come down with the flu.. and he loses his couch and tv priviledges to the princess. I was feeling a little sorry for him, but not terribly.

Karma has visited my household for my uncaring. My ds now has the flubug. I have not lost my easy chair (yet) but have lost control of the TV. Next year I WILL get my flu shot.

Still trying to figure out how the flu jumped from OK to TX so fast. His kids were sick Monday.. mine started feeling bad Monday afternoon.

More weirdness....

After posting about my squid purse yesterday.. today I scan the news.. and a fisherman off New Zealand somehow captured a Colossal Squid. A Colossal Squid is BIGGER than a giant squid. According to the news articles I read, a Giant Squid is just like our friends that we turn into Calamari, only bigger. Colossals are different.. they're shorter and stockier.

They said that they think the Colossal that they found is a male, but that it's difficult to sex a squid (!!! Now that is a job I do not want !!!). As large as this male (?) squid is.. they say females of these species tend to be larger. Wow.

One article talked about making Calamari out of the Colossal. "I can assure you that this is going to draw phenomenal interest. It is truly amazing," added Dr. O`Shea, “if calamari rings were made from the squid they would be the size of tractor tires”.

I have to remember to send the article to my dd. hahahha evil me.

I'm frightened.. if I crochet and post another animal.. what will be the repercussions?

I shall test and see if I hold such powers over the plant world....

Here's my latest work in progress:








I'm using simply soft in autumn red, soft pink, rose violet, dark sage and off white. Rubine red would probably have been better.. but i'm using what is locally easy for me to find. Making this for fun..

It's an old pattern, and the yarn recommended is no longer made, but the Caron is working up just fine.

Ok, now if I read about a Colossal Rose bush found, or maybe a bunch of people crocheting an Afghanus Giganticus.. I'll be more than frightened.. I'll start trying to figure out how to use my powers to make the world a better place. (Put a little love in your heart...oh no.. I'm gonna have that song stuck in my head. Well, it's better than "Lonesome Polecat" from 7B47B "A man can't sleep, when he sleeps with sheep")

Calamari

Man, I love seafood. Shrimp, Fish, Oysters, Clams, Scallops, Crabs. I even like Calamari (I'm getting hungry typing this post).

After posting about the fish post (and getting a comment from Lady Linoleum!! wow.. she's my hero, I can't believe I got a comment from her.. I'm so not worthy) I remembered about the Squid Purse I made a couple of years ago to torment DD.

(as always, both pics clickable to see larger)





front



back



There's a story behind this. Sometime before I made the above, my son and husband were snacking on some calamari. My daughter comes walking in the kitchen and says.."oh.. Onion Rings.. may I have some?" My husband and son both being of devilish nature, did NOT tell her what she was eating until all 3 had finished the snack. Daughter dear still has not forgiven the boys for playing this trick on her. She's not allergic to seafood or anything.. just doesn't like the idea of eating squid.

So when I found the pattern over at C'ville, I had to make it for her. I should add eyes (not blood shot ones ala LL, but googly) right now the poor thing is sight impaired. This baby is mine. Not going anywhere (except maybe out on the town with me) and of course, dd doesn't like it.

I forgot to add anything to show how big it is.. but a candybar sized cell phone would fit with plenty of room for some other odds and end.

Fish Food

Ya'll might remember me posting about a fish purse not too long ago.






I was planning on sending it to my great-niece via my sister. Well, I did send it last Monday and finally remembered to email my sister about it today to see if it arrived and if K liked it.

Here's her reply:

Well, I didn’t even show it to her. I liked it too much to show it to her!!!!! I figured I could use it a few times before I let her use it. She has so many pretty things, princess stuff……..dresses with veils and scarfs, purses, jewelry, shoes, ribbons for her hair……………..

I couldn’t help it! Too cute!! Maybe I’ll let her have it next year! I know I’m a terrible “granny” but ………it’s just too cute to pass up.

I’ll probably break down and offer it to her in a few weeks…………

For K*** and myself, thank you for the fish purse. Just too cute…you should do one in Nemo colors.

They say having kids around keeps a person young at heart…………it may be true.


P.S. I even tried it on as a hat! It’s cute that way too.

I thought her comments were very funny (and flattering) and wanted to share with ya'll. I wish I had a picture of the fish hat. I'll ask her for one and post it if she will allow.

Pink Camoflauge

Where does one wear pink camo to hide? Maybe the beach in Hawaii with all the impatients that bloom there?

Anyways.. Bernat makes this camoflauge yarn..and one of the variations available is Pink. It's really pretty (and durn hard to find.. it sells out as soon as stores get it in).

I managed to find 1 skein at a local store, and then as I was walking down an aisle with totally different stuff on it, non-yarn related.. I found a 2nd skein. Yahoo for lazy folks (Too lazy to take 12 steps to put it back where it belonged..so I found it) !!

I made DD in college a scarf out of it for Valentines. Mailed it last monday (the 12th) but she didn't check her postal box till the 16th (turkey). She says it's been really cold so the scarf was most welcome. She liked the chocolates too!

Here's a picture:




clickable

There's not really a pattern, but I could write it up if there's enough of a demand. In reality it's just the Crosshatch Stitch done lengthwise. Clover Softtouch Hook, size G, slightly more than 1 skein used.

After lots of compliments and questions, I decided to try to write the pattern. And I made another blog for patterns, as I have a couple more I need to get out of my head and onto paper.

SimplySoft Quick Blankets

I'm getting ready to make a delivery to Project Linus, so I'm getting pictures posted of things I've had made for quite a while.

I'm not super speedy at crochet.. just am really bad (or good?) at procrastinating at making pictures of my work.

Material: Caron Simply Soft Quick





Please click to enlarge

The top one I made first by the pattern provided by Caron on the label of the yarn. They are Tunisian squares, made on a regular (non-tunisian) P hook. It was a tight fit, but as the squares aren't really large, I managed to squeak by. I will probably have to enlarge this one (which will mean frogging the border) and adding more squares. It's a bit on the small side for Project Linus purposes, but I will take it to our coordinator first and see what she says.

The second one is made of the same yarn, same pattern, but a size N Tunisian hook. I just made more of them and joined with black. I realized after I made it how 70's looking it is!!

Fish Purse

Here's a funny fish purse I made back before Christmas.. just for the heck of it.

Shown with mouth closed and then open (drawstring closure).









Please click for more detail

I made this out of some RedHeart that Michaels was clearancing out at 50 cents a skein.. they only had 1 of purple and 1 of green left... what a bargain eh?

Sending it off to my great-niece in Florida care of her Granny (my sister). Hope the little girl will enjoy it.

Oh.. the pattern is available on Crochetville.

Tunisian Baby Blanket

Here's a blanket made with some Joanns Classic Sensation Yarn. Comes in huge 11oz skeins. Very soft and fuzzy.. fun to work with, but a bit difficult to frog.

The stitch is from "Harmony Guide, 220 More Crochet Stitches" that I got free, courtesy of Walmart messing up two of my orders around christmas (see this post). No name to the stitch, but I tried to follow the directions for VI.26

If you have that book, you can see it does NOT look the same (the one in the book has a lattice look). I wonder if what I came up with is in a book or has a name?




please click to see larger

The yarn label says to handwash.. but I ran it through the handwash cycle of my machine and tumbled it on low.. and it came out just fine.

Afghan Along

I've started another afghan (somebody shoot me!!)...

I started Feb. 1st.. here's my progress so far.






Using various colors of Jiffy and Caress.

I've gotten this far by crocheting while my son and I watched the mini-series SHOGUN on dvd. One disk a night. We finished it last night.. now I have to find something else to crochet to, preferrably long and interesting.

Today I will be working on another project.. as it is Super Bowl Sunday and I despise football.

Red Scarves for Orphans

I finally got them all in the mail...and now to pictures. All pictures are clickable if you want to see them in more detail.
















Some are regular crochet and some are Tunisian.. all are 100% acrylic and most are machine washable (important consideration for college kids).

My goal was to get 20 done. I made 21 (somehow I missed getting a photo of the last one). Next years goal is to make 20 AND to get them in the mail before January 31st!!! LOL

Here's the site for those who aren't familiar with this charity.
http://www.orphan.org/carepackages_main.xhtml

Another Baby's Circle

I just finished another Baby's Circle Afghan, probably destined for the Project Linus group, but don't know 100% for sure. (check post on June 11, 2006 for information on where to find the pattern).

~~Begin Minor Rant~~

This pattern is still under US copyright laws and while I am very flattered that people like my work...I cannot "share" or "send" anyone the pattern. Please do not ask me to do so. Whether or not I agree with the copyright laws, until and unless they are changed, I must abide by them. I'm not risking my reputation or family over a pattern for gosh sakes!!

~~End Minor Rant~~

I had this gorgeous variegated yarn, only 8oz of it, but in a babyweight. The baby's circle pattern only calls for 10 oz of yarn and a D hook. I love most of the pattern, except the extreme edges of it are very lacy. I thought I might could get by with the 8oz of yarn if I didn't do the extreme edges.

Well, I was almost right. I started to run low on the variegated.. so I took a leap of faith and stopped using it for a while, hoping I had reserved enough for the flower border, and finished up the spiral/swirl with some other yarn I had lying around. I wish I had had enough of each of the colors in the variegated.. but since I am trying to bust my stash rather than add to it.. I made do.






The pattern calls for repeating until there are 37 dc in each section. I went till there was 27 dc's..

I also used an E hook. Would I have been able to get to 37 if I had used a D? I doubt it, I don't think 1 hook size would make that much difference.

I also reduced the number of dtr's in the flower petals. There's supposed to be 4 dtr in each petal. I tried it and it looked too puffy. So I ripped the whole flower section out last night and redid it with 3. MUCH better. When all was said and done,I was lucky and guessed right on where to stop using the variegated. There's only about a yard of the variegated yarn leftover.

I'm pleased with it and hope the PL folks will be also. I just need to weave in the ends and wash it once to make sure all is well.. and voila.

Riders on the Storm

Today was an awful day. Not the worst one I've ever had, but it ranks right up there.

Spent the night in Troy Alabama... that part was fine, the hotel we patronize there is brand-new and well staffed. Even the dinner at Ruby Tuesdays was not too bad (had a bad experience at that same RT a year ago.. I got served dirty brocoli.. yeach).

When we got up this morning, I looked out the window to check the weather and noticed there was some wind. and it was a bit rainy. OK.. so we don't drive extremely fast today... little did I know.

It took us 6 hours to make a 3 hour drive. We fought wind and rain all the way ... having to pull off the interstate 3 times to wait out the rain. The third time was the worst as the radio gave us the information that there was a Tornado Warning south of where we were and to get to shelter as soon as we could. Unfortunately, there was not an exit for 10 miles from the time they gave the alert. I know the area, so I kinda knew where the Tornado was sighted and the likelihood that it would come directly to where we were was pretty remote, but still it was nervewracking.

There were times on the interstate that it was all I could do to drive 50mph.. and fighting the wheel the whole time because of water standing in the ruts...

We did finally make it in. We got to the bookstore and picked up two of dd's books for the spring semester, the other one should be ready by Monday at the latest. We also dropped by her dormroom and none of her roomies were back yet, so she's spending one more night with me (YEAH!!).

Tried to do dinner at Olive Garden or Chilis.. but the parking situation was just incredibly awful. Chili's was even doing free valet parking (but I saw where those valets were putting some cars.. and decided that wasn't for me). We ended up going to Barnhills. Not a great place, but it's good and was easy to get in and out of.

My hometown has gotten way too big. Barnhills used to be the Bowling Alley. Where Rosss "Dress for Less" is .. was the old Sears Store. Cabo's (a good mexican restaurant) was the Barber College. Where Gold's Gym, used to be WinnDixie. MusicalMoon was the A&P. sigh... there's nothing like Nostalgia.

Currently Reading: Can't wait to get to Heaven by Fanny Flagg. A continuation of the stories started in "Standing in the Rainbow" and "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl". HIGHLY HIGHLY reccommended. (all 3.. tho so far my fav is Rainbow)

ttfn

Oprah's Dream

When the childen in Africa tell Oprah that they want uniforms so they can go to school (versus American kids who want Nike's or Ipods)... Why doesn't Oprah talk to the schools about abandoning their Draconian attitudes and actions about Uniforms??

A well written Dress CODE (saying what cannot be worn) works!! Uniforms are not necessary.

What can I say, this is a pet peave of mine. I see uniforms as another way of stifling a students soul and suppressing critical thought.

Plantation Crochet

I was browsing the internet... trying to find out why the state of Georgia has two towns named Thomasville..and ran across this site, describing a southern plantation that features crochet.

Actually, I'm sure they mean CROQUET... but I can just see people going there for a weekend of hooking and frogging. >grin<

I found the name of the place that is having the great yarn sale... it's called SewPurlatives. The sale ends Tomorrow, so I need to decide tonight whether or not to swing by. I think I'll ask my daughter how she feels about it since she's my passenger. She's anxious to meet her new roommate (one of them went psycho and moved out with almost no notice.. DD found out by the new one coming over and saying "Hi, I'm going to be your new roommate next semester") so it might not be the kindest thing to ask her to tolerate a stop at a yarn store.

Temptation rears it's Ugly Head

My sister emailed me (and then called on my cell this morning) to tempt me.

She found out about a fabric/yarn store in Thomasville, GA that is going out of biz and has yarn that regularly sells at 8.00/skein going for about 1.50/skein. I think that it sounds like Wool and other itchy/scratchy/sneezy fibers.... but I might go check it out.

Funny thing is.. she didn't give me the name of the store...so I'm off to try to find it on the web.

I'll post if I find it and find anything.

KA-BLOOEY!!!!

I am posting from a hotel room in Vicksburg, MS tonight.

No, I'm not on vacation, nor have I left my husband or ran away from home.

I am ferrying my oldest offspring back to college, which is about 14 hours of nonstop driving, or 2 days of a push or 3 days taking it easy. We're doing the 3 day plan (reward nights at hotels are a GOOD thing).

We started out today about 9:30 central time and did make our goal, but we were 2 hours later arriving than I had hoped. Why?

We had a BLOWOUT on the interstate.

We were driving along in the fast lane, passing a slower car, when we suddenly heard a really loud noise, as if we had hit a piece of sheet metal. There had been nothing in the road to runover...it took me a few seconds to realize that it was probably a tire.

Right rear. Thank goodness for AAA and Cell Phones. We called and got someone to come out and change the tire. (I was amused that the lady at AAA in Dallas thought we might need the police to protect us) I had a difficult time telling her where exactly on the interstate we were (very few cross streets ya know..lol.. and approx 37 miles west of Shreveport didn't do it for her). It took about an hour for the AAA wrecker to find us (plus 3 extra cell phone calls).

Unfortunately, this car has special locking lugnuts that if you don't use a particular tool correctly, you can't remove the tire. The guy from the wrecker service didn't know how to use the tool. So he couldn't remove the blown tire. He was in a regular truck, so he had to go back to his shop to get a flatbed wrecker.

Then he took us to a tire store and they took about another hour to get it done.. and my locking lugnut is no more on that tire. I haven't decided if this a good or bad thing.

Turns out somehow I had picked up a nail in that tire and it had worked it way though the side wall and ka-blooey!!!

Here are the good things about this incident today:

1) It happened in the daylight

2) It wasn't raining (rains are supposed to start tomorrow)

3) We were lead to an honest tire store. In our situation (needing transportation), they could've easily sold me 4 new tires intead of just one.


Some things I learned from this experience:

1) SLOW DOWN and/or MOVE OVER when you see someone with car trouble on the interstate.

It's amazing the number of semi's and cars and trucks that just kept on as usual.

I am impressed with the Covenant Transport line.. they moved over from the right to the leftlane to give me peace even though it would've been easier just to stay where they were.

2) LOOK for MILE MARKERS or other IDENTIFYING signs/sights before calling for help. This would've saved us a lot of time and frustration.

3)Try to make sure your AAA respondent is competent.

All in all, we are safe, the car has a new tire and I'm 1/3 of the way to taking the progeny back to college.

How I made out like a bandit.. legally

I recently got 40.00 worth of free (yes, really free) giftcards to use online at Walmart.com or Sams.com. I don't know if this is repeatable.. but might be worth a try for someone next year.

Here's how it went.

I did a pre-order of a highly desired video game back in November (Zelda Twilight Princess for the Game Cube). The game was due out December 10th or 11th, close, but reasonably in time for Christmas. I wasn't terribly worried as I had bought a used GC with two controllers, 2 mem cards and about 7 games, all in one auction (what a deal!).. so the gifts were covered, but really wanted TP also, if I could get it.

December 10th comes along and I get an email from WM... saying that the shipment would be unavoidably delayed. Hmmm.. so I go searching the web and several places that would ordinarily sell it are NOT taking any more pre-orders. Okie Dokie.. I keep on looking.

I finally find a forum where someone posted that a major retailer (maybe it was Circuit City.. I really don't remember) was going to have them available starting the next day at 5pm, but they were not taking pre-orders. Being that we live in the sticks.. CC is a bit of a drive. I decided to check our local WM to see if they might have it.

So, my son and I go to WM the next day and check things out. I do some regular shopping and then meet him over in the game dept. I asked if he found it. He said, no, they don't have it. I asked.. did you ask a clerk? Son: no. I find a clerk and asked if they had gotten TP in. Lo and behold they did have it!! So I bought it, thinking I'd cancel my online order.

Get home, log on, follow the directions in the email that WM had originally sent me on how to cancel the order. Didn't work. There wasn't a link to cancel where they said one would be. Ooops. OK.. so I find WM help dept and email them asking what to do.

Next day, WM emails back and asked that I contact them via an 800 number. Yeck. I hate dealing with computerized phone messages. So I decide to put it off a day...and the day after that I get an email from WM saying that they will NOT be able to fulfill my order and in compensation would I accept a $25.00 gift cert. (online only). Whoopee!!

Of course I accept it and go off to see what I can spend my windfall on. Hmmm... ok, books are good and WM only charges 97 cents for a book delivery. So I choose a book.. and order it and get an estimated delivery date of Dec. 20th (or thereabouts).

A few days later.. WM emails again.. they will not be able to deliver in time.. and would I accept a $15.00 GC? This is too funny... I accept again.

Two days after Christmass...I receive the book I ordered.. and still have 26 dollars and some change to spend.

I've ordered two more books.. we'll see what happens. They are supposed to arrive this week.

I think the moral of the story is.. If you don't have to have something by a particular date.. try ordering it from WM.. you might get it AND some extra spending $$.

Perhaps a secondary moral is Sometimes Procrastination Pays.

Crochet 100

Article in the Longview News Journal..

Only disreprancy is that the Project Linus isn't JUST for newborns.. but maybe Ms Whitehead's blankets are newborn sizes.

I've also posted the article in full here.. incase the link quits working. I'll leave it unless/until the powers that be request that it be removed.

Blankets travel from 100 to zero
Volunteer, 100, crochets for newborn babies


By RACHEL PHELPS
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-JOURNAL

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Margurite Whitehead has been crocheting most of her life — which is longer than most people have been alive. She turned 100 in August.

"I learned to crochet when I was real young and there was nothing to do in the summer," said the centurion.

Now Whitehead, who lives in Buckner Assisted Living, is taking her hobby and helping others with it. She crochets blankets for Project Linus, a non-profit organization that provides handmade blankets to seriously ill or traumatized children. The organization offers blankets to children from infants to 18-year-olds, but Whitehead specializes in making blankets for premature babies.

She heard about Project Linus in 2004 through her daughter, who went to a meeting about it at her church.

"I said, 'I want to do that,' " she said, "So she got the yarn and I started crocheting."

It usually takes Whitehead a week to finish a blanket, and Project Linus Chapter Coordinator Pat Vanderwater collects them a dozen at a time. The last time Vanderwater picked up a set was in November, which brought Whitehead's blanket count up to 149 since she began making them two and a half years ago.

"I don't think anybody has turned in as many as she has," Vanderwater said.

Vanderwater also told of one large blanket that Whitehead crocheted for Project Linus. Project Linus donates blankets to the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund, and this year Whitehead crocheted a full-size afghan for the fund.

"We like to send patriotic blankets and Mrs. Whitehead made a beautiful red, white and blue blanket for them," Vanderwater said.

It can take Whitehead a while to situate the yarn and position the needle, but she says she hasn't slowed down a stitch since she began making these blankets. She works on one every day and faithfully turns in her dozen every three months.

"It's a blessing that I can do this because my eyesight is getting bad," Whitehead said, "I can't read without a magnifying glass."

She also is blessed by hearing from the families her blankets have gone to.

"Every once in a while I'll get a letter and a picture of the baby, and I do appreciate it," she said.

Vanderwater is thrilled to have Whitehead as a volunteer, and said that people like Whitehead fulfill the second half of Project Linus's mission statement, which is to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity to interested individuals and communities.

"I visit her on and off all the time. We've become really close," Vanderwater said, "She's more than just a volunteer to me, she's a dear friend."

Whitehead has no plans to slow down now that she's made the century mark. She said she didn't know what her secret was for such a long life, but she did know that she would keep crocheting for the rest of it.

"As long as I live, I'll be crocheting," she said, "I'll probably be crocheting when I die."

Scarves are ready to mail

ALL PICTURES ARE CLICKABLE TO SEE LARGER.






VERY wide scarf.. 2 strands of redheart (don't remember color names.. maybe buff & desert?)



Vertical Waves Scarves, one in Homespun Sierra, the other in SimplySoft Bone and Sage.




Very Long Loopy Tunisian Stitch..made with Bernat Chunkee (it's actually a lot wider, it curls up on itself. The loops are the WRONG side.. lol.. I made a mistake on the stitch (pebble stitch) but liked the effect, so I kept on.)







Striped Star Scarves (or should I call it Stars~and~Stripes Scarves?) Some in Homespun, some in RedHeart, some in SimplySoft, some in Bernat Chunkee




Keyhole Scarf..done in Homespun Sierra.
Pattern for the keyhole scarf found at Dreamweaver yarns.

The rest of them I made up.

Operation Gratitude Scarves

I ran across this group the other day called Operation Gratitude.

It's all about supporting our troups overseas. I don't know how anyone feels about the war (I'm not very happy about it myself) but I worry about our young people over there. Personally, I feel I can support the troops without being in favor of the war... anyhow.....

They are collecting scaves right now to send to the troops. They will take knitted or crocheted scarves (although the site only mentions knit). I've been in contact with the organizer of the scarf drive and she gave responded with this information.

Thank you so much for your interest in sending our troops some nice warm scarves this winter! Here's some suggestions for the dimensions: We're keeping them nice and simple. It's just a straight across knit or crochet with no complications---about 5-6" across and about 38-42" long is fine---and any fiber is fine too. We're not picky at all!

Thicker yarn and bigger needles will allow you to knit/crochet faster, but any size is okay---whatever you'd like. As for colors, I think we will have a variety to send them (and any color is welcome), but if you have a choice take the more masculine colors, since most of the receivers will be males!

And please help spread the word about this wonderful project to anyone who is interested. We started loading boxes for Operation Gratitude this past weekend and will continue through December. If you'd like, put a note on each scarf with your name and address.

I am a Supervisor for Operation Gratitude and am also knitting scarves! Thanks again for your kindness in helping to put a smile on the faces of our soldiers this winter!!!

Sincerely,

Sharon Howard

I think they're taking them until December 15th.

Here's the main website for more information.

http://www.opgratitude.com/index.php

The scarves are mentioned on the "wish-list" page.

http://www.opgratitude.com/wishlist.php

Sometimes A Girls Gotta Geek

Along with crochet, I love computers. How do the two co-relate? Other than both of them using math, I'm not really sure.

Anyhow, I thought I'd mention some things that I find useful when it comes to computers.

Fred Langa has a newsletter called The LangaList at www.langa.com (blog is at www.langa.com/blog). I only get the free version, but it's chockful of information. Some of it way over my head, but keep reading and it starts making some sense.



Mr. Langa has started something called "flog the blog" (sounds kinky). Reading the list of some of his floggers, I found this site.

www.dailycupoftech.com which is a blog devoted solely to technical issues. Very good reading. I really like the lists of things he keeps on his usb drive.

And just for grins: This has been around a while, but it's still funny. www.subservientchicken.com

And I'm hiding here at the computer while men are painting my house. They've been here at least a month and I'm getting tired of the company.

Afghan Arrives in NH

Ya'll remember this afghan that I was working on, called Sunrise/Sunset from the coats & clark website?

Here's a picture of it in progress:

click to see larger

Well, I finally finished it, got it washed, got the prayershawl for my girlfriend finished, got it washed, got them BOTH boxed up and in the mail last week. She received them today and is so surprised and her Daddy is so surprised and touched. I've never met these folks at all, only talked with K. over the 'puter (and really we haven't had alot of time together recently.. life has gotten busy). But I know what it's like to have a family member ill.. espescially a father.

Any hoo, here's a picture of the completed afghan.

click to see larger

If I make the afghan again, I will do the border different. It took a whole skein for that solid steel blue around.. and it wouldn't lay flat after all that work. I don't feel like it's my best work, but it's meant for warmth and caring, not for show.. so I sent it on anyways.

I didn't manage to get a picture of the shawl (it would've been another month to mail knowing how disorganized I am), maybe I can get K to make a pic and send it to me. It was(is?) a seraphina pattern made out of Bernat Caress Yarn in Green (one of her fav colors). Bernat Caress is a 100% acrylic imitation mohair.. much like Lionbrand Jiffy.

K & B, I'm so glad you liked what I sent. I hope they will ease your paths through this difficult time.

Original Art by my Brother in Law

My brother in law, who I think is very talented, has started to sell his art on eBay.

Here is his first listing:

320028704033 << href="http://tinyurl.com/qlql9">http://tinyurl.com/qlql9

I'm so excited for him. He also carves.. he hand-carved a Unicorn for me years ago.. it's rearing on its backlegs. I'm trying to talk him into making me some hooks from trees on the family property.. not yet successful though. I can hope he's making me some for xmas.

Anyhow, he may have some other paintings up later, this is his first venture.

Here's to lots of success Bob!!!

P.S. He's since listed a few more.. here's a link to all of his offerings on eBay. http://tinyurl.com/kxwkf

FSU Blanket & Squirrel

I've had these made for a while, but couldn't post because my daughter hadn't received them yet.

Here's two views of the Butterfly Afghan made in FSU colors:








And here's her FSU Squirrel:






The squirrel was made out of scraps left over from the blanket.. plus some funfur (for the tail). The tail really does need a trim, but I'm leaving that decision up to her. It's twice as long as what the pattern said to make.

I got my first real amigurumi pattern book in the mail the other day. I found it by going to www.yesasia.com and then putting amigurumi in the search box. Price MUCH better than ebay.

http://i3.yesasia.com/assets/92/792/p1004179292.jpg <<<< pic of the book

Now to decide what to make.